When Qixi meets modern love languages

Despite ongoing global economic headwinds and tighter marketing budgets, Qixi — the traditional festival rooted in love and cultural symbolism, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day — remains a key moment on the calendar for luxury brands in China. The logic is clear: Qixi uniquely blends emotional expression with gift-giving rituals, offering a high-conversion opportunity for businesses. At the same time, rising cultural confidence among young Chinese consumers has turned the traditional festival, which this year falls on August 29, into a strategic platform for localized storytelling and deeper cultural resonance. Increasingly, brands are moving beyond one-way narratives of romance, inviting consumers to co-create meaning through social interaction, collaborative content, and immersive experiences. Here are 10 Qixi campaigns of 2025 that show how luxury houses are innovating emotional storytelling by balancing cultural nuance with commercial ambition to build lasting connections with the Chinese audience. A bridge to love: Prada’s urban metaphor On July 18, Prada unveiled its Qixi campaign with a new short film starring brand ambassador Li Xian (李现) and friend Chen Haoyu (陈昊宇). Set against the backdrop of urban bridges, the film weaves romantic sentiment into the city’s everyday landscape. It offers a quietly poetic response to the emotional undercurrents of this traditional Chinese festival. To extend the narrative, Prada launched an interactive campaign on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) under the hashtag #QixiMeetsTheBridge, inviting users to explore local bridge landmarks and step into a cinematic mood. Participants who completed the online challenge received a redemption code to collect a limited-edition Qixi postcard set at one of six designated Prada boutiques across China, merging digital engagement with offline ritual. Valentino steeps its campaign in romance Valentino staged its Qixi campaign, conceived by Alessandro Michele, shot by Danish photographer Julie Greve, and starring actress Ren Min (任敏) and model Zhao Zixiao (赵子霄) in a dreamlike summer garden. Released on July 24 and framed by a theme of “natural romance,” the film highlights the brand’s early fall collection and new Valentino Garavani accessories. The Nellcôte tote, a recurring emblem of the house’s bohemian codes, channels late-1960s free-spirited style, reinterprets the occasion with floral embroidery, mixed textures, and sculptural details. Through imagery and quiet storytelling, the campaign invites emotional resonance, aligning giftable pieces with intimate, sharable moments. Valentino’s narrative builds a romantic Qixi fantasy out of Ren and Zhao’s quiet performances in a lush garden. Burberry captures quiet moments of unexpected connection Released on July 25, Burberry’s campaign film, Love, Unexpected, features brand ambassador Wu Lei (吴磊) and friend Zhang Jingyi (张婧仪) in two parallel stories, lingering on evocative elements like summer rain and a seaside lunch. It conveys a quiet, contemporary take on restrained romance. The British maison dropped a capsule inspired by traditional symbolism, featuring motifs like the Chinese knot and the zodiac Year of the Snake. Co-created with students and faculty from Donghua University, the collection integrates themes of luck, connection, and resilience into pieces like T-shirts and shirts, bridging cultural heritage with design education. APM Monaco teams up with Zhou Yiran to create a Qixi special APM Monaco is marking this Qixi Festival with a captivating new initiative, partnering with Asia-Pacific brand ambassador Zhou Yiran (周翊然) to launch the “Decoding the Heart’s Desire” (追寻心翊解码) campaign. Drawing inspiration from Morse code and the ancient Chinese tradition of “qiqiao” (乞巧) — cultural activities that celebrate wishes and love — the campaign delivers a uniquely emotive take on the romantic occasion. The limited-edition collection interprets Morse code’s intricate symbolism through a sleek fusion of metallic elements and minimalist lines, transforming emotional expression into a distinct, coded language of wearable art. Complementing the collection, APM Monaco unveiled the “Decoding the Soul Trilogy” (心灵解码三部曲) series of evocative short films tracing an intimate journey from “sensing” to “expressing.” In the films, Zhou embodies a seeker of light, redefining the dialogue between jewelry and inner perception through the lens. As part of its Qixi campaign, APM Monaco teamed up with Zhou to launch “Graffiti of Love,” a fan co-creation initiative using graffiti as a creative medium. Fans were invited to create designs connected to the campaign’s jewelry and Zhou’s personal aesthetic, with 21 winners receiving autographed gifts. The project transformed fans into participants, boosting engagement and social reach. By tapping into Zhou’s youth appeal, the brand deepened its presence among younger audiences and reinforced its connection with the ambassador. The initiative also showcased APM Monaco’s ability to blend visual storytelling, co-creation, and community strategy into a cohesive, youth-oriented campaign marketing ecosystem. Louis Vuitton launches an express journey Louis Vuitton unveiled its campaign on July 31, setting a romantic journey in motion aboard the “LV Express,” with actors Lu Yuxiao (卢昱晓) and Lai Weiming (赖伟明), and model Wang Ran (王燃). Set against a dreamy summer backdrop, the film explores modern expressions of love and gift-giving. Its whimsical visuals and reimagining of Qixi quickly struck a chord, deepening the brand’s seasonal imprint and resonating with a younger audience drawn to the emotion behind the gesture. Gucci’s flick expands the boundaries of how love is expressed Gucci’s campaign, starring brand ambassadors Wen Qi (文淇) and Song Weilong (宋威龙), unfolds against the backdrop of a shared journey through city and wilderness — celebrating love, friendship, and sincere connection. The duo wears new-season pieces curated for the occasion, including limited-edition GG Emblem bags, silver jewelry from the Diamante collection, and signature accessories designed for meaningful gifting. Departing from the couple-centric lens of past campaigns, Gucci broadens its scope this year to reflect a wider emotional landscape. Through a multi-character, multi-relationship narrative, the film honors all forms of genuine connection — romantic or otherwise — reframing love as something more expansive, inclusive, and quietly powerful. Balenciaga captures quiet moments of intimacy Balenciaga collection, captured by artist Feng Li (冯立) and unveiled on July 25, is set in iconic locations in Shanghai. The campaign features couples frozen in quiet embraces. “Frozen in Time,” the Spanish maison’s accompanying film, contrasts the stillness of some emotions and the city’s rapid pace. Actors Zhou Qiqi (周奇奇) and Jiang Qilin (江奇霖) appear as a couple wearing oversized and mid-sized T-shirts emblazoned with an interlocking double-heart motif, along with a special-edition Rodeo mini bag and the new Le City bowling bag adorned with Qixi charms. Through a lens of real-life intimacy, the campaign amplifies the brand’s take on urban affection and emotional connection. Qeelin channels jewelry’s emotional energy Qeelin introduced a new addition to its Wulu Eternity line for China’s , once again exploring the philosophy of love as completeness. The design centers on a rotating structure of six three-dimensional Wulu forms, rendered in the brand’s signature pink HyCeram® ceramic and set with diamonds. Rose gold chains inlaid with cut diamonds add a refined, contemporary edge grounded in Eastern symbolism. Staying true to Qeelin’s layered approach to meaning, the piece weaves together themes of flowing luck and love-born blessings as its Qixi narrative—reinforcing the brand’s belief in jewelry as an energy field, and positioning the collection as both a romantic gift and a symbol of self-empowerment. Michael Kors focuses on product depth Michael Kors launched a Qixi-exclusive capsule under the theme “Love, Always On.” Core pieces include the Tribeca bag in red, black, and white, the Jewel Heart charm, and the Scotty sneakers — blending practicality with emotional appeal for both festive outings and everyday wear. The Jewel Heart charm links two hearts with a dual-tone chain in gold and silver, symbolizing love that remains connected across distance. The Scotty sneakers echo the bag’s palette and materials, creating a cohesive set. Framed as both a gift for couples and a treat for oneself, the collection emphasizes everyday versatility while tapping into emotional resonance through thoughtful details—speaking directly to younger consumers seeking meaning in their holiday choices. Tiffany centers its narrative on self-love As early as July 4, Tiffany debuted its Qixi-exclusive Tiffany Lock necklace with pink sapphires in China boutiques. It was followed by a global online launch on July 15 in partnership with Tmall Super Membership Day, amplifying visibility and deepening local engagement. On July 30, Tiffany released its Qixi short film, titled I Am the Subject of Love, featuring Tang Yan (唐嫣), Zhang Ruoyun (张若昀), and Zhong Chuxi (钟楚曦) wearing pieces from the American jeweler’s HardWear collection. Created under the theme of self-love, the film explores personal reflection and the idea that “loving yourself is the beginning of loving others.” By leading with product, aligning platforms, and layering emotional storytelling, Tiffany resonated with younger audiences.

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When Qixi meets modern love languages