Hennessy x Shuting Qiu: When East Meets West In A Bottle
Hennessy’s latest Chinese New Year collection marries French cognac heritage with Chinese design sensibilities through rising fashion star Shuting Qiu’s bold interpretations.
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Hennessy’s latest Chinese New Year collection emerges as a masterclass in cultural fusion.
The storied cognac house has partnered with Shanghai-based designer Shuting Qiu for a limited-edition series that celebrates the Year of the Snake with remarkable sophistication.
The collection, aptly named ‘Reimagination,’ transforms Hennessy’s iconic silhouettes into canvases for Qiu’s distinctive artistic vision.
Drawing from her Hangzhou heritage, where brocade-making has flourished for centuries, Qiu has created a series of designs that dance between tradition and modernity with remarkable grace.
Ascending The Luxury Ladder: From VSOP To X.O
The VSOP edition emerges as the collection’s most playful interpretation. Its surface comes alive with vibrant red floral motifs and unexpected Hawaiian-inspired elements, challenging conventional notions of Chinese New Year aesthetics.
The accompanying reusable bag, adorned with similar motifs, speaks to a growing sustainability consciousness among luxury consumers.
Moving up the premium ladder, the X.O edition presents a more complex narrative. Rich shades of red, gold, and blue interweave with traditional Chinese lozenge patterns, while an embossed snake design creates a tactile experience that elevates the bottle from mere vessel to objets d’art.
The addition of a gold cork adds a final touch of luxury that collectors will appreciate.
The Crown Jewel: Paradis Reimagined
The Paradis edition stands as the collection’s pinnacle achievement.
Its vibrant red canvas hosts an abstract serpentine form that seems to shift and move as light plays across its surface.
Detailed with spring motifs, the leather collar adds a tactile sophistication that justifies its position at the top of the range.
The bottles have quickly become coveted items among cognac enthusiasts and design aficionados alike.
They have found their way into prominent display positions, their distinctive designs drawing attention even in rooms full of luxury spirits.
Heritage And Innovation: A Serpentine Dance Through Time
The collaboration is significant in Hennessy’s 164-year relationship with Chinese culture.
Rather than relying on traditional motifs, the house has embraced a contemporary vision that acknowledges heritage and evolution.
The snake, symbolizing renewal and positive transformation in Chinese zodiac tradition, is an apt metaphor for this bridge between past and future.
This collection represents more than just another luxury offering—it’s a liquid embodiment of cultural evolution, equally at home in a collector’s cabinet or at a contemporary celebration.
Qiu reflects that Hennessy has allowed her to share her ideas and vision with the world, an incredible platform for her as a young Chinese designer.
The Hennessy carafes are classics, and this is similar to fashion in that every brand has its classic silhouettes, unique designs and colours. My family and I often drink Hennessy during Chinese New Year, and my friends drink it when we hang out – it’s a great versatile drink, but my favourite way to drink it is simply over ice.
Legacy Meets Modernity: A Cultural Confluence
Hennessy’s CEO, Laurent Boillot, speaks of the collaboration with measured enthusiasm.
Hennessy has a long-lasting connection with Chinese culture, grounded in 164 years of shared history and rich artistic collaboration. And it is a great pleasure to welcome Shuting Qiu to embody the spirit with which we usher Chinese New Year festivities.
Laura Drozdowski, Marketing Director of Moët Hennessy Singapore and Malaysia, explains the collection’s arrival in Malaysia carries particular resonance.
In Malaysia, Chinese New Year is a vibrant and cherished celebration that unites communities, bringing together families and friends in a spirit of joy and prosperity.
This limited-edition collection by Shuting Qiu captures the spirit of the Snake — dynamic, resilient, and deeply connected to the cycles of renewal and transformation.
We’re excited to share this special release to our enthusiastic Chinese-Malaysian community, inviting them to celebrate Chinese New Year with a piece that not only honours tradition but also embodies the innovative spirit that drives us forward
Spirits of Note
Those inclined toward the tactile pleasures of in-person purchasing will find the bottles holding court at key retail partners, where trained staff can expound on the nuances of each expression.
The major supermarkets, too, have carved out dedicated spaces for these sculptural vessels, placing them strategically between imported chocolates and other seasonal indulgences.
For the digital cognoscenti, The Good Stuff—that virtual sanctum of spirits—offers the collection with a few keystrokes, delivering the same luxurious experience with modern efficiency.
It’s a decidedly twenty-first-century approach to acquiring what remains, at its heart, a thoroughly nineteenth-century pleasure.
[Available while stocks last, as they say in the trade, though one suspects these particular bottles won’t linger long on any shelf, virtual or otherwise.]Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Threads.
