Lunar New Year, according to music’s favourite couturier Robert Wun
The designer lends his theatrical craftsmanship to Johnnie Walker Blue Label, while sharing how he celebrates the Lunar New Year in style
Robert Wun’s client list reads like a who’s who of pop music. Jennie from BLACKPINK, Ariana Grande and Doja Cat have all donned the designer’s otherworldly couture on stage. Beyond the red carpet, he has made history as the first designer from Hong Kong to join Paris’ esteemed Haute Couture Calendar, steadily building a reputation as one of fashion’s most compelling rising stars.
Blurring the lines between art and fashion, his distressed dresses even took pride of place in the Barbican Centre’s Dirty Looks exhibition last year. Known for his sculptural, avant-garde designs that fuse heritage with innovation, Wun is now applying that same visionary approach to Johnnie Walker Blue Label, reimagining the bottle through a concept inspired by the Year of the Horse.
We caught up with Wun to talk about the collaboration and his plans for the new year.
What was your goal with your Spring/Summer 2026 couture collection? What did you want the audience to take away from the show?
The goal was to truly capture the creative process and how that can be illustrated through imagination and brought to life on the runway. I also hope it shines a light on the difficulties designers are facing nowadays. In an era of information overload and increasingly normalised criticism, I hope there can be greater celebration of creatives, and more acknowledgement of their passion and courage to keep moving forward.
You’ve done some amazing customs for musicians like Jennie from Black Pink, what’s been your favourite celebrity look for far and why?
It’s been an honour and a real pleasure to work with so many artists across different fields, many of whom I’ve looked up to since I was young. Adele will always be truly special to me, and the custom piece we created for her Las Vegas residency will always hold a special place in my heart.
How did your work as a couturier inform your design for Johnnie Walker Blue Label?
We wanted the design to feel different – not something instantly recognisable as a typical Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year collaboration – but instead to capture the spiritual and philosophical side of the horse. It represents a figure marching forward alongside a person, rather than being ridden, embodying the Robert Wun world of optimism and forward movement.
What does the horse represent to you?
The horse represents something truly majestic, and I have always felt it is most representative when running free, marching towards the future. For me, the horse will always symbolise optimism, bravery, and the spirit of moving forward.
Best way to celebrate Lunar New Year?
I think the best way to celebrate is always with your loved ones and your family. Since I’ve been away in London for work all these years, I keep one tradition that always reminds me of being at home: keeping a nightlight on in the living room throughout Chinese New Year. That’s what my parents always loved to do during the festive season, and I continue that tradition in my London home as well, to make me feel as though I am back home during the celebrations.
The Robert Wun X Johnnie Walker Year of the Horse limited edition is available globally in selected luxury retailers. You can purchase the collection online at Amazon or find out more at JohnnieWalker online.