by No offense to the other animals that make up the Chinese zodiac, but the dragon reigns supreme. It’s not hyperbole – the mythical creature is revered by cultures that celebrate the Lunar New Year for being inspirational and powerful. Anecdotally, would parents do their best to give their children time for these years and then they are minor child talents during dragon years. Those who are lucky during this time period are considered to have natural confidence, intelligence and tenacity.
But even if you’re not a dragon, 2024 seems like a good thing. Called the Year of the Wood Dragon (it starts on February 10), the next 365 days are predicted to bring opportunities, changes and challenges. For those who are looking to change their lives right now, this may be the best opportunity for you. It’s no wonder then that the designers, stylists and influencers we spoke to are extremely optimistic, excited to call a fresh start. Despite the New Year falling during New York Fashion Week, everyone found time to celebrate.
Read on to hear how they rang in the Year of the Dragon.
No offense to the other animals that make up the Chinese zodiac, but the dragon reigns supreme. That’s not hyperbole – the mythical beast is revered by cultures that celebrate the Lunar New Year, and is considered an auspicious and powerful symbol. It has been said that parents try to time the birth of their children so that the children are born under the sign of the Dragon – and indeed, there are mini baby booms every 12 years when the dragon is the ancestor. Those lucky enough to be born during the Year of the Dragon are believed to have natural confidence, intelligence and tenacity.
But even if you’re not a dragon or hoping for one, this Lunar New Year looks like it’s going to be a good one. The Year of the Wood Dragon began on 10 February 2024, and the next 350 odd days are likely to bring us opportunities, changes and challenges. (If you’re looking to make some kind of transition, this might be your best chance.) So it’s no surprise that we asked designers, stylists and fashion influencers about their hopes for the cycle ahead. , everyone was very hopeful and excited. to ring in a fresh start. And even though the Lunar New Year fell during New York Fashion Week, they all found time to celebrate.
Read on to hear how these 10 style stars rang in the Year of the Dragon.
Vanessa Hong, impact
“My sister is flying in from Vancouver to spend the holiday with me. My intention is to ring in the new year with extra bad luck and luck, especially since the dragon is a very powerful and wonderful animal in the Chinese zodiac. I hope 2024 will have that energy!”
Laura Kim, designer
“This year is my year to fully explore my work and take risks. I spent some time worrying about Covid and the bad economy, but I realized I was just lazy!”
Phillip Lim, designer
“This is my third year working with Hennessy to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and it’s always great fun. At the same time, I also had the presentation of my brand. The key for me is to share, focus and fulfill the moment. Although it can be overwhelming, I try to approach it as a celebration of abundance and remind myself of how lucky I am. It’s fitting: We’re calling it the Year of the Wood Dragon, a powerful year for change, but also an opportunity to harmonize and bring together prosperity, progress and peace for all.”
Humberto Leon, founder and restaurant of the Opening Ceremony
“This one is going to be good – I’m inspired by dare the dragon and I’m really excited about 2024. Since I moved to Los Angeles and I’m opening [my restaurant] Chifa, I always wanted to come back to New York. So for one night, we brought Chifa here to celebrate the Year of the Dragon with D’usse XO. Between the creative direction of Katseye (a girl group about to debut), everything Chifa, and [my coffee shop] Arroz & Fun, there are a lot of fun things on deck for people to enjoy.”
Dora Fung, editor in chief 10 US Magazine
“I always clean my apartment thoroughly on New Year’s Eve, get fresh flowers, and usually have a fun group dinner with friends in NYC. On the menu are noodles, fish, and dumplings. This year will be the same, except I will be celebrating the end of the new year with my family back in London. I hope to take more chances in the Year of the Dragon and make wise decisions to go with them – and, of course, be healthy and wealthy!”
Gia Kuan, publicist
“My celebration of the Year of the Dragon combined with work, so it felt very full circle! I asked my friend Blake Abbie to host a cocktail party at Moss, a beautiful space near Bryant Park. Additionally, I co-hosted a mah-jongg tournament with my friend Dong-Ping Wong over at Food Architects and Kapono Chung at Combo, before heading to the annual LNY Phillip Lim dinner with Moët Hennessy. For the actual holiday, I was working on Kim Shui’s FW24 fashion show, so it all feels like family in the hustle together. It makes sense, because 2024 is about strength and resilience – which is much needed and is being demonstrated, but hopefully also good health and plenty of happiness.”
Blake Abbie, managing editor Journal Curated by
“Dragon years are supposed to be the luckiest, and I think it’s true, because my mom came to visit me to celebrate together before the Fashion Week celebrations. We’ve kept it pretty low key. One thing I’ve wanted to do for years is plan a dinner party with friends, but it’s always been too busy. This year, like magic, an opportunity came to host a night with Moss for friends with mah-jongg, great drinks, and food. I invited chefs Woldy Kusina, Jessie YuChen, and Susan Kim to make foods that celebrate their own cultures—so it’s really about connecting over a whole belly and shared traditions.”
Kim Shui, designer
“Our show took place during Lunar New Year’s Eve, and because the dragon is important to the brand, a few themes are celebrated within the collection. The wood dragon is a very special year for me, as it symbolizes strength, resilience and renewal. I hope 2024 brings abundance and good fortune!”
Caroline Maguire, fashion director at Shopbop
“I multitasked this year! I had a full day of fashion shows and then finished the day at a local restaurant with our friends. The dress code was red, of course – great energy to start the year off right! The Year of the Dragon is über-lucky, and I know it will be one of prosperity. Be your fiercest self, stand up for your faith, and embrace the fire. It will burn!”
Beverly Nguyen, stylist and founder of Beverly
“With this year falling on NYFW, I made sure I had a few minutes to nurture traditions despite the crazy schedule. I threw a big party with Swedish cashmere designer Lisa Yang at Mr. Chow’s at the beginning of the week. We had lion dancers, as well as all the traditional Chinese dishes, and the room was full of laughter and toasts! On the actual Lunar New Year’s Day, we closed the Beverly shop for a team lunch with our friends and designers. I ordered a ton of Wu’s Wonton King and brought in a Vietnamese dish called chung woman— Mung bean sticky rice and pork belly wrapped in a banana leaf – sent to me overnight from California by my parents. We had confetti shooters on the sidewalk with all the kids. Red envelopes and drinks flowing throughout the space for a few hours before returning to that evening’s shows!”
You might like too
