There's no denying that the tiger is a supremely beautiful animal. Much more than the ‘fearful symmetry’ that poet William Blake raved about in the famous The Tyger. Those uneven black/brown stripes on burnished orange skin. The white underside. And those fiery yellow eyes. Add all this and the tiger becomes a fascinating motif to be printed, sequined, appliqued, embroidered. Not surprising then that this year, most luxury brands have launched their Year of the Tiger collections.
But, wait, all this tiger love is not merely about aesthetics. It is also about the money. Worldwide, more than 2 billion people will celebrate - or at least think of - 2022 as the Year of the Tiger, and splurge. Last Lunar New Year, the holiday spending in China crossed $128 billion and by 2025, China is expected to account for 40% of luxury spending (Source: McKinsey & Company). All the tiger ballyhoo right now is about a piece of that fat billion pie!
Here’s a quick look at a few tiger-inspired items from the Year of the Tiger Collection of various luxury brands.
Versace Lunar New Year Tiger Jacket: Price Rs 201,600
Made of 100% polyester with a trim comprising 95% cotton, 3% polyamide and 2% elastane, the red Versace jacket comes with elasticated hems and zipper closure. You cannot bleach, tumble dry or wash this expensive jacket, just run a cool iron on reverse with a damp cloth on top.
The Versace Lunar New Year T-shirt is priced at Rs 96,600 while the Tiger Sweatshirt comes with a pricey tag of Rs 111,200 (taxes and duties included).
Salvatore Ferragamo bag: Price Rs 164,000
Designed by Beijing-based artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, the Ferragamo Chinese New Year Special Capsule Collection Studio Box Bag features the tiger playing with other creatures such as a crane, an eagle, a deer, and a monkey in a vibrant Chinese garden setting. Made of soft calf leather with a natural grain, the bag has a Gancini slider clasp in an antique golden finish. Practical elements include padded handles and removable shoulder strap.
Stella McCartney Logo Tiger Striped Tote Bag: Price Rs 75,500
The ivory Tiger Capsule honours Lunar New Year 2022’s zodiac animal through an edit of pared-back luxury archetypes featuring airbrushed graphics by artist Albert Seleznyov.
Made of 70% polyurethane, 30% recycled polyester, lining with 50% polyamide, 50% polyurethane, the top-handle tote has a detachable pouch.
Nike Air Force 1 Low
Designed by Bruce Kilgore and introduced in 1982, the Air Force 1 was the first ever basketball shoe to feature Nike Air technology, revolutionising the game and sneaker culture forever. Nike is marking the Year of the Tiger with an Air Force 1 Low. The uppers of this Low version are crafted with a white canvas material overlaid with golden yellow and black tiger-striped swooshes. Instead of the traditional Nike Air branding on the tongues, there’s a “T” logo, and the lateral heels are embroidered with an intricate image of a tiger.
Kenzo Climbing Tiger bomber jacket: Price Rs 58,600
No urban collection is complete without a classic bomber jacket, and this nylon-satin limited edition design features a large tiger embroidered in contrasting colour on the back. 'K Climbing Tiger' is embroidered on the front that also features two buttoned flap pockets, one concealed zipped pocket and one inner pocket.
Estee Lauder Year of the Tiger Perfecting Setting Powder Compact: Price Rs 14,040
Intricately designed, exquisitely crafted, this compact case is filled and refillable with Perfecting Setting Powder (.1 oz./2.8g). The elegant presentation box includes a velvety pouch to keep the compact safe. You can pick from 5 shades: Translucent, Medium, Medium Deep, Deep, Ultra Deep.
Valentino Year of Tiger Collection
Italian fashion house Valentino is celebrating Lunar New Year with the Valentino Tiger 1967 collection, which features ready-made clothing and accessories. In a press release earlier this month, Valentino had said that the tiger is the icon of a fashion house, and the collection features the renowned tiger motif that first appeared in Haute Couture’s Fall / Winter 1967 collection. The 2022 capsule collection spans fits such as hooded capes and shorts as well as Valentino Garavani bags and footwear. Besides the original orange and black palette, this year there’s also a bubblegum pink rendition to pick.
Gucci Year of Tiger Collection
Dedicated to the Year of the Tiger, the house of Gucci has created a collection of ready-to-wear clothes and accessories. The choices include outerwear, knitwear, jackets, T-shirts, denim, shirts and even dresses all-over prints. The trench coat features the Gucci Tiger print in the lining. The ‘Gucci Tiger’ wording has been patched onto both clothing and accessories and is accompanied with the Gucci monogram.
The House of Gucci drew a lot of flak for using real tigers in its advertising campaign that was conceived by Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele, and shot by photographer and director Angelo Pennetta. In the shoot, models are seen lounging on a couch, sipping tea and also posing with a tiger sitting nearby.
Zippo Tiger Motif Lighters: Price: Rs 3,009 to Rs 4,499
The Zippo range of tiger-themed lighters comes in six designs: fierce Bengal tiger engraved on the surface of the lighter. Each lighter is durable, refillable, comes with a lifetime warranty as well as Zippo’s signature ‘click’ sound.
(Photographs sourced from brands’ official websites)
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