Burberry is celebrating the Chinese New Year with a major campaign and a Year of the Horse capsule collection, tapping into one of its most important markets and honoring cultural traditions as the holiday approaches. The initiative blends storytelling, fashion and artistic collaborations to create a festive and meaningful seasonal offering.

The campaign stars four well-known actors and Burberry brand ambassadors Chen Kun, Tang Wei, Wu Lei and Zhang Jingyi appearing in a film directed by AJ Duan and photographed by Anton Gottlob in Shanghai’s bustling urban environment. The visuals capture moments of reunion, movement and anticipation, reflecting themes of togetherness and shared celebration linked to the Lunar New Year.

Instead of a traditional runway presentation, Burberry’s campaign uses street scenes and everyday life to convey emotional narratives. The hero film highlights fleeting, warm moments amid Shanghai’s busy streets, where the cast races toward a reunion, evoking the joyful spirit of gathering with loved ones during the holiday.

Central to the seasonal offering is the Burberry Year of the Horse (新禧贺岁) capsule collection, which reinterprets the brand’s signature Equestrian Knight motif as a watercolor and ink sketch. This artistic approach ties back to both Burberry’s heritage and the symbolic meaning of the horse in Chinese culture, which is associated with strength, movement, prosperity and progress.

The collection is rooted in red a traditional symbol of luck, happiness and good fortune in Chinese New Year celebrations and uses an exclusive new red Burberry Check that appears across scarves, daywear and accessories. Red remains a staple in festive wardrobe choices, and Burberry’s adaptation reinforces its relevance to cultural traditions.

Outerwear is a highlight of the capsule, with pieces such as the Berryhill car coat and Floriston quilted jacket made in iridescent nylon. These outerwear options combine classic Burberry silhouettes with seasonal functionality, suitable for gifting or personal style during the cooler months surrounding the Lunar New Year.

Accessories and small leather goods also play a role in the seasonal lineup. Burberry has expanded its gifting range to include items embellished with the reimagined Knight motif, giving consumers a variety of holiday-appropriate pieces to choose from, whether for personal wear or as thoughtful gifts.

Beyond the product offering, Burberry is enhancing its retail presence across China and the Asia-Pacific region with window designs created in partnership with esteemed British hand-painted wallpaper brand de Gournay. These installations incorporate traditional Xuan paper the material used in Chinese calligraphy and painting as both surface and subject, celebrating artistic heritage.

The windows feature painterly expressions by Chinese artist Liao Wenjun, whose work on the textured paper becomes a visual celebration of cultural craft and seasonal festivity. Through this collaboration, Burberry integrates art, traditional materials and modern design into its global retail spaces.

The choice of Liao’s artwork and the use of Xuan paper reflect Burberry’s intent to go beyond simple seasonal marketing, emphasizing cultural resonance and craftsmanship. Xuan paper has a long history in China as the preferred surface for calligraphy and brush painting, and its inclusion in Burberry’s displays pays homage to these revered traditions.

Brand ambassadors at the center of the campaign represent diverse generations and areas of influence in Chinese culture, further reinforcing Burberry’s commitment to the market. Chen Kun, Tang Wei, Wu Lei and Zhang Jingyi bring star power and local relevance, helping the campaign connect deeply with audiences in the region and beyond.

This campaign continues a broader trend among luxury fashion houses to create Lunar New Year-focused collections and storytelling initiatives that resonate with cultural practices while also driving commercial engagement. Burberry’s approach balances tradition and contemporary fashion language, appealing to consumers who value both heritage and new design expressions.

The Year of the Horse holds particular significance for 2026, kicking off celebrations that are expected to span from Feb. 17 to March 3. Luxury brands often tailor product releases and marketing efforts well ahead of the holiday to align with peak shopping periods and cultural festivities.

Burberry’s emphasis on storytelling through movement, reunion and festive imagery aligns with how many consumers think about the Lunar New Year  as a time for gathering, reflection and renewal. Capturing these emotions in both editorial content and product design helps position the brand within cultural conversations about tradition and celebration.

Red, as a cornerstone of the collection’s color identity, underscores Burberry’s understanding of symbolic cues in festive fashion. In Chinese culture, red is traditionally worn to ward off bad luck and invite prosperity, which makes it a powerful and relevant choice for seasonal fashion collections.

The use of exclusive textile patterns, metallic embroidery and appliquéd badges also highlights Burberry’s craftsmanship and design innovation. These techniques elevate everyday wardrobe pieces into items that feel celebratory and special, meeting consumer expectations for seasonal exclusivity without sacrificing quality or wearability.

Burberry’s campaign and collection are positioned to be globally visible, though clearly oriented toward Asia’s cultural calendar and consumer habits. The strategic timing, ambassador involvement and artistic collaborations demonstrate how brands tailor initiatives for meaningful cultural relevance while maintaining global luxury appeal.

By combining emotive content, cultural symbolism and thoughtful design, Burberry’s Year of the Horse initiative exemplifies how fashion houses can meaningfully engage with festivals that matter deeply to key markets. The capsule collection and campaign illustrate a balanced approach to heritage, innovation and celebration as the luxury industry continues to embrace culturally driven storytelling.

Burberry’s Year of the Horse collection and campaign will likely be a focal point in Lunar New Year fashion conversations for 2026, offering both stylish wardrobe choices and a narrative that honors tradition, togetherness and new beginnings.