Brands ring in the Year of the Rabbit with catchy products

As the China International Import Expo continues to serve as an important forum for cultural interaction, Chinese components in new sportswear and collaborative new designs have become hot topics.

The Year of the Rabbit, which begins in 2023, is providing inspiration for a variety of consumer businesses, clothes and fashion goods.

The import fair's significance in promoting not only business but also cultural components to coincide in many economic sectors has been strengthened.

Credit: Ti Gong

The White Rabbit creamy candy, one of Shanghai's most well-known brands, teamed up with Coach as the leather goods and clothing company debuted a new collection of crossover fashion items at the CIIE.

The US fashion retailer is displaying a variety of fashion items, such as ready-to-wear, handbags, footwear and children's apparel.

The iconic White Rabbit image and classic Coach elements came together in an unexpected way, and they're "expected to write more great chapters about 'Chinese Fashion Stories,'" said Yann Bozec, president of Tapestry Asia Pacific and president and CEO of Coach China.

Credit: Ti Gong

White Rabbit was the first Shanghai brand Bozec discovered after moving to the city in 2006, and the cooperation took approximately two years to finish into about 30 pieces.

Wu Jian, chairman of Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food Co, manufacturer of White Rabbit sweets, said that the two parties are already working on the next batch of new items. The two sides' common commitment to legacy and innovative spirits brought them together, and the new fashion items will be available in the domestic and international markets from November 18.

"We are very honored to be able to cooperate with the classic brand to transform imaginative dialogue into accessible fashion and bring the debut products to the CIIE," Bozec said.

He added that the Chinese market is a source of inspiration for breakthrough and innovation, and that through diverse dialogues and communications, it might explore development potential and accelerate the development of China's fashion sector.

Credit: Ti Gong

Lego's Chinese New Year series made its global debut at the CIIE, and the company has been incorporating Chinese aspects into its brick toys for some years.

Since the first CIIE in 2018, it has introduced classic Chinese New Year brick toys to the fair, which have proved popular not just in China but also in international markets.

According to Paul Huang, senior vice president of the Lego Group and general manager of Lego China, it is critical to increase the educational benefits of playing, and the company continues to invest in offline experiences for both children and adults to enjoy.

"We feel there's still a very broad market in China with untapped demand especially in lower-tier cities," he noted.

Over 40 different types of products with Chinese features have been released here in recent years, and the CIIE platform has been used as a testing ground to gather feedback from customers, he added.

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The latest design of adidas Originals' co-branded products with Chinese designer Han Meilin incorporates 12 Chinese zodiac signs.

The product line is being unveiled at the CIIE and includes a limited edition of the rabbit version of the sneaker. It will go on sale in January.

Adrian Siu, managing director of adidas China, said that co-creation and development activities with local designers and artists will be critical to the company's efforts to engage with domestic customers.

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Kjeldsens, a cookie brand owned by Kelsen Group, has returned to the import expo for the fifth year in a row.

As it tailors cookie flavor, shape and packaging for local customers, a rabbit paper-cutting is printed on a special lunar new year combo pack.

It sees the CIIE as a vital avenue for demonstrating Kjeldsens' brand ethos and rich Danish culture, as well as an excellent platform for testing the waters for new product releases.

The cookies in a smaller limited package to mark the Year of the Rabbit were also transformed from their usual rectangular shape into the shape of a lively rabbit, which in the Chinese zodiac calendar represents auspicious wishes.

Credit: Ti Gong