Chinese New Year launches are shaping fashion, accessories and watchmaking.

Each year, Chinese New Year inspires a wave of limited-edition launches across fashion, accessories and watches – and with 2026 marking the Year of the Horse, the celebration feels more dynamic and spirited than ever. Long associated with energy, freedom, and success, the Horse has become a powerful symbol for brands seeking to express movement, boldness and optimism through design.

What was once a predictable exercise in red-and-gold motifs has evolved into a sophisticated creative language, where labels draw from symbolism, craftsmanship and storytelling to connect with a global audience. From zodiac-inspired embroidery and equestrian motifs on accessories to handbags reimagined in festive palettes, designers are treating Lunar New Year not merely as a marketing moment, but as a true creative brief.

Watchmakers, too, are embracing the theme with engraved casebacks, special dials and rare complications that appeal to collectors.

BOSS celebrates the Year of the Horse with a capsule collection that draws inspiration from traditional Chinese gold craftsmanship, boldly fusing the refined artistry of classical Chinese goldsmithing with the brand’s signature tailoring and contemporary design, and a campaign starring world swimming champion and BOSS brand ambassador Wang Shun.

Arnold & Son unveils the limited-edition Perpetual Moon 41.5 Red Gold “Year of the Horse” timepiece which reveals the noble animal’s fiery, mysterious and incandescent nature to full extent at night.

Bottega Veneta celebrates shared culture and individual rituals this Chinese New Year with a heartfelt campaign that brings together chef Qu Yuyu, actor Zhang Kang Le, swimmer and Olympic champion Pan Zhanle, actor Yo Yang, and cinema icon, Sylvia Chang.

Vacheron Constantin introduces two new Métiers d’Art The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac – Year of the Horse timepieces, each limited to 25 pieces in 18K pink gold or 950 platinum. The new creations continue the Maison’s tribute to Chinese culture, following a 12-year cycle of watches inspired by the zodiac.

Miu Miu celebrates Chinese New Year 2026 with The Encounter, now in its second iteration, specially conceived for the year of the Fire Horse. Directed by Chinese filmmaker Gu You and photographed by Li Sihao, the campaign unfolds at the Gongwang Art Museum designed by Pritzker winning architect Wang Shu on the outskirts of Hangzhou.

Blancpain celebrates the arrival of the Fire Horse in 2026 with its fifteenth interpretation of the Chinese calendar bringing together solar rhythm, lunar cycles and cosmological symbolism into a single, living system – unveiling the 2026’s edition of the Villeret Calendrier Chinois Traditionnel watch.

Coach’s latest pieces draw on equestrian-inspired design elements, marking 2026 as the Year of the Horse.

Beyond aesthetics, these launches reflect the growing influence of Asian consumers on luxury – where tradition meets trend, and limited editions become lasting style statements.

Article Written by Mirella Haddad