SINGAPORE – In recent years, it has become de rigueur for fashion and beauty brands to usher in Chinese New Year with zodiac-themed collections.

From luxury to mass-market, retailers have astutely capitalised on the season and increased appetite for spending, releasing festive products to target the affluent Chinese demographic.

Enter the extra-auspicious Year of the Dragon, with its bumper crop of dragon-inspired merchandise.

Alongside the majestic beast, many of this year’s collections also feature cloud patterns – representing the mythical creature’s celestial realm – and phoenixes, which signify harmony and are historically paired with the dragon to bring greater prosperity.

The Straits Times rounds up the most huat ones.

Fashion

Aldo

The Canadian accessories brand has created a sweet floral dragon print to adorn some of its bags, sneakers and slides. For a more subtle yet chic take, the Cadiliana Women’s Top Handle in Red ($99) features two dragons holding pearls on its clasp – which, for luxury lovers, might bring to mind a similar bag from a certain jeweller with a “C” for a clasp.

Available at all Aldo stores and aldoshoes.com.sg

Bottega Veneta

No, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Shunning a literal interpretation for its Chinese New Year capsule collection, the Italian luxury brand has chosen to give some of its iconic bags a festive refresh via colourways and detailing resembling dragon “scales”.

It has elegantly woven elements of a dragon into its signature Intrecciato weave pattern, namely for the Sardine, Andiamo and Jodie bags. Blink and you might miss the protruding spikes and dragon-tail handle on the Mini Jodie ($5,110). There are also spiky dragon earrings and a necklace.

Available at Bottega Veneta stores and bottegaveneta.com/en-sg

Berluti

The dapper gentleman will appreciate French leather-maker Berluti’s collection of ready-to-wear, bags, small leather goods and homeware – including a candy box – spotlighting the dragon. Imagined as a tattoo, the creature is coiled into a delicate “B” for the brand’s logo, and complemented with cloud-scroll patterns.

Find it laser-embossed or etched onto various Berluti Venezia leather pieces – such as the E’mio Briefcase ($6,100), or in a more colourful iteration of the Formula 1005 Multicoloured Dragon Tattooed Leather Rolling Suitcase ($20,500). On some apparel and accessories, the dragon tattoo spells out the brand name.

Available at Berluti stores and str.sg/9ZNz

Coach

To honour the occasion, the American fashion brand tapped Chinese artist Lian Yang to incorporate traditional Chinese art forms and imagery into its Year of the Dragon collection. Beijing-based Yang has made the ancient technique of mineral rock painting part of her practice.

For Coach, she drew inspiration from the art form to create a dragon print, including symbolic motifs such as clouds and lotus flowers available on selected ready-to-wear. The whimsical creature dances across the New Year Rogue 25 with Dragon ($1,600), as well as packaging for the Micro Box Set ($1,600) that comes with four micro Coach bags.

Available at Coach stores and singapore.coach.com

Converse

Strap on auspicious kicks from the American lifestyle brand’s Seize The Star Lucky Dragon Collection, which draws from dragon patterns, dragon scale-textured leather and elements of Chinese porcelain.

Converse classics such as the Chuck Taylor All Star and Chuck 70 get a dragon-themed update that oozes streetwear cool. The Converse Unisex Chuck Taylor All Star Lunar New Year Dragon Graphic High Top Black ($129) features a black-and-white dragon graphic on the cotton denim upper canvas, paired with red inner lining.

To keep you walking on good fortune, an original Dragon Chasing Star motif is printed on the left tongue top lining, while the outsole boasts dragon-inspired typography.

Available at Converse stores

Delvaux

The Belgian luxury brand, known as the oldest fine leather luxury goods company in the world, has added an adorable touch to its Cool Box bag. Crafted from soft Taurillon calfskin with two-tone embossed leather marquetry, this Chinese New Year edition ($5,000) comes in a delicate pink shade, Bloom, and a dragon silhouette. Two top handles and the bag’s signature D-buckle complete the quirky piece.

Available at Delvaux stores, including 02-216 Takashimaya Department Store, 391A Orchard Road

Fendi

Pokemon fans will want to catch all of Fendi’s capsule collection, which astutely taps the Japanese franchise’s dragon-type characters Dratini, Dragonair and Dragonite.

It is a three-way collaboration between the Italian luxury label, The Pokemon Company, and Fragment or FRGMT – the streetwear line from Japanese designer and musician Hiroshi Fujiwara, often referred to as the godfather of streetwear.

From the Peekaboo (from $5,950) to the iconic Baguette (from $3,250) bags to the less popular By The Way Mini ($2,490), the characters are a welcome burst of colour on Fendi’s classic brown and tobacco colourway. They also fly across men’s accessories, ready-to-wear, scarves and jewellery.

A show-stopping piece is the beaded Baguette ($12,400) – embroidered entirely with beads that create the FF motif and the Pokemon in all three stages of evolution. Embellished with an FF clasp with metal wings and multicoloured beaded fringe, it is a collector’s item.

Available at Fendi stores

Kate Spade New York

The American fashion brand’s Year of the Dragon collection lets you sport dragons boldly – as prints on a dress ($510), sweater ($560) or tote bag ($740) – or subtly, in the form of dainty gold jewellery from the Dazzling Dragon series.

The creature is coiled into sparkly hoops ($190), studs ($140) and a statement Wrap Ring ($190), accented with pearls for an extra luxe touch.

Available at Kate Spade stores and singapore.katespade.com

Lenskart

Even eyewear gets the dragon treatment. The Indian multinational eyewear retailer’s Dragon Gaze collection translates dragon scales and tails, dragon and phoenix patterns, calligraphy and copper coins into optical frames and sunglasses.

The eyeglasses ($148) feature intricate dragon and phoenix patterns on both temples, while the sunglasses ($98) come with either a 3D dragon-scale pattern or a wavy dragon-tail design on the temples.

No detail has been spared. The nose pads, fashioned to look like a copper coin, sport intricate calligraphy, while the rings on each temple are crafted with a dragon-scale pattern that adds texture and symbolism. Finally, the temple ends boast a dragon motif and auspicious calligraphy.

Available at Lenskart stores and lenskart.sg

Loro Piana

Trust Loro Piana, the industry’s current face of the quiet luxury trend, to join in the Year of the Dragon fun in the subtlest of ways. For those who prefer to have good fortune whispered and not shouted, the Italian brand’s Summer Dragon Charms Walk shoes ($1,610) in suede are embellished with a dainty dragon charm.

Otherwise, the capsule collection features a Lunar Paisley print hiding a dragon motif – available on the Extra Pocket Pouch ($4,390).

Available at Loro Piana stores and loropiana.com

Max Mara

The Italian fashion label’s compact Lunar New Year capsule includes chic bombers and coats in resplendent red, lined with dragons inside. But the stars are the two brooches featuring Max the Dragon and Little Ted (Max Mara’s signature piece is its Teddy Bear Coat) joyfully putting on a dragon dance together.

Available at Max Mara stores

Moschino

The Italian fashion house is celebrating with a collection inspired by Bubble and Bobble, the vintage Japanese arcade game dragon characters created by gaming company Taito in 1986. The collection features dresses, T-shirts, sweatshirts, bags and shoes emblazoned with the cheerful twin brothers and their ragtag group of friends.

Available at Moschino stores and moschino.com

MLB

The wave of cartoon dragons continues in the South Korean fashion and lifestyle brand’s New Year Dragon Collection. A streetwear-clad dragon lined in silver and gold glitter appears across hoodies, sweaters, bomber jackets and T-shirts. Prices start at $110 for a T-shirt.

Collectors of MLB’s sports caps can pick up limited-edition caps ($80) embroidered with the character in green, black or white.

Available at MLB stores, including 01-06 Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Road

Swarovski

Dragons and phoenixes play together in the Austrian jewellery brand’s glittering collection, which extends to jewellery, home novelties and limited-edition collectibles.

Find details such as dragon’s claws and phoenix’s tail, crafted using the Pointiage and Dancing Stone technique with clear crystals and Swarovski Zirconia, in pieces like the Dragon & Phoenix Pendant ($259).

For lovers of all things cutesy, there is the Zodiac Dragon range, which realises a 3D dragon and lucky coins in colourful Swarovski crystals across pendants, earrings and bracelets.

Available at selected Swarovski stores and swarovski.com

Tory Burch

Every year, Tory Burch delights with novelty items in the shape of the year’s Chinese zodiac animal. The Year of the Dragon is no different – with a fun dragon-shaped crossbody bag ($1,260) wearing a tiny crossbody of its own stealing the spotlight.

The 3D dragon also takes over the American fashion brand’s fisherman espadrilles ($555). For a less obvious take, the elegant Eleanor Bag (from $1,370) is finished with a dragon motif in pave crystals on the Double T logo clasp.

And do not miss the line-up of T Monogram bags (from $705) that come with a dragon or cloud charm, and dragon-motif interior pouch.

Available at Tory Burch stores and toryburch.sg

Tumi

The United States-based travel and lifestyle brand has partnered Shanghai-based artist Weber Zhang for its festive line-up. The collection combines cloud motifs and a fierce dancing dragon across 11 key products that include backpacks, totes and crossbody bags.

One highlight is the Tumi 19 Degree International Expandable 4 Wheeled Carry-On ($1,130), which opens up to reveal a dragon print on the inside.

Available at Tumi stores and tumi.sg

Beauty

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Glow up with the American cosmetics brand’s Glow Seeker Highlighter in Pearl ($60), embossed with a stunningly intricate dragon. In a unique hybrid baked powder gel formula, the illuminating powder creates a weightless wet shine that can be built up for a bolder strobing effect – without any powder fallout.

Available at Sephora stores and sephora.sg

Guerlain

Every year, the French luxury beauty brand releases a numbered-edition collaboration of its Bee Bottle perfume in homage to the year’s Chinese zodiac.

The 2024 Bee Bottle by L’Atelier Truscelli ($1,240) comes dressed in red and dripping with jewels. Created by Parisian jeweller Francesco Truscelli, a centrepiece dragon, gilded in 24K gold and embellished with 142 Swarovski crystals, guards the bounty.

The perfume is Neroli Outrenoir from the L’Art & La Matiere collection – a scent blending sparkling bergamot and neroli.

Available at Guerlain stores

L’Artisan Parfumeur

For its ode to the dragon, the French brand has chosen to reintroduce Passage d’Enfer Extreme ($275 for 100ml) – a perfume grounded by incense, traditionally burned on altars “as a spiritual vehicle to carry people’s prayers to heaven”.

The eau de parfum reinterprets L’Artisan Parfumeur’s signature Passage d’Enfer fragrance, created in 1999, amping up the airy, spicy incense at its heart to leave a scent trail of fresh lily and sensual vanilla.

Available at L’Artisan Parfumeur, B1-33A Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road

Laura Mercier

Golden dragons grace some of the French-American beauty brand’s best-selling products – including the Translucent Loose Setting Powder and Velour Puff ($73), and the Blush Color Infusion 6G in Ginger ($52), which features the creature embossed on the powder.

Available at Sephora stores and sephora.sg

Penhaligon’s

From the British fragrance brand’s Portraits collection, dragon-headed The World According to Arthur ($435 for 75ml) steps into the spotlight.

First launched in Singapore in 2022, this amber-spicy fragrance blends notes of incense, vanilla, ambrette and clary sage. This Chinese New Year take comes with a limited-edition dragon charm that can be fixed to the magnificent bottle stopper.

Available at Penhaligon’s stores and escentials.com

Sulwhasoo

Another year, another zodiac-themed First Care Activating Serum ($210) from Sulwhasoo. This iteration sees an amber-coloured dragon soar gracefully across the bottle cap to claim a heart-shaped magic pearl. The South Korean beauty brand’s logo also appears in Chinese characters on the bottle.

Available at Sulwhasoo stores, Lazada and Shopee