Burberry has unveiled its 'Love, Unexpected' campaign in celebration of the Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine's Day. The campaign features a capsule collection inspired by the traditional Chinese knot, symbolizing positive meanings and values. This design was developed in collaboration with faculty and students from Donghua University, a leading fashion institution in China. The collection includes T-shirts, cotton poplin shirts, shorts, and Italian-woven silk scarves adorned with the knot motif.
The campaign also includes two short films starring Burberry brand ambassador Wu Lei and actor Zhang Jingyi. These films depict spontaneous outdoor moments, reflecting the campaign's theme of unexpected love. The 'Love, Unexpected' campaign and capsule collection are scheduled to launch in August 2025 and will be available in select Burberry stores and online.
Burberry's partnership with Donghua University stems from its collaboration with the Shanghai Youth Development Foundation, where the university is one of the participating institutions supported by the Burberry Youth Entrepreneurship Fund. This initiative underscores Burberry's commitment to nurturing young creative talent and integrating cultural heritage with contemporary design.
The Qixi Festival, celebrated on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, has seen a significant increase in popularity in recent years, with spending on related gifts and experiences reaching over $10 billion in 2024. This cultural shift underscores the enduring relevance of the values celebrated by the festival.