Jaeger‑LeCoultre, Johnnie Walker and More Debut Lunar New Year 2026 Limited‑Edition Packaging
Luxury maisons from Jaeger‑LeCoultre to Johnnie Walker rolled out artist‑led Lunar New Year 2026 packaging, from Baccarat decanters to couture‑styled Blue Label bottles.
1. Jaeger‑LeCoultre
Jaeger‑LeCoultre is listed among the maisons that debuted special packaging for Lunar New Year 2026 in Paris Packaging Week coverage and social posts, signaling the watchmaker joined a wider industry-wide push toward zodiac‑themed, artist‑driven boxes. The supplied coverage names the brand but does not include product names, collaborator credits, imagery, edition sizes, prices or launch windows; its inclusion alongside houses such as Johnnie Walker and Guerlain suggests a trade‑level reveal rather than granular retail copy in the published fragments. Paris Packaging Week itself reported strong trade interest, celebrating 25 years with almost 15,000 visitors and 915 exhibitors, which frames Jaeger‑LeCoultre’s mention as part of a broader moment when luxury packaging took center stage; however, the specifics of Jaeger‑LeCoultre’s Lunar New Year pieces remain unconfirmed in the materials provided.
2. Johnnie Walker, Rémy Martin, Martell, Hennessy, Guerlain and other luxury launches
Johnnie Walker led with two couture‑minded whisky limited editions: the Blue Label Year of The Horse and the John Walker & Sons XR 21 Year Old Year of the Horse, the latter a Robert Wun collaboration. Brand copy emphasizes craftsmanship and cultural crossover, calling the partnership a coming together of “Scotch Whisky and haute couture” and saying Wun’s design “reimagines Lunar New Year with a modern lens: a tribute to artistry and the pioneering craft of rare whisky making.” The Blue Label inside each limited bottle remains Johnnie Walker Blue Label, a blend the brand notes is drawn from “some of the rarest whiskies in the brand’s unparalleled reserves. Only one in 10,000 casks makes the cut,” with tasting descriptors of rich spice, vanilla, honey, caramel, hazelnut, dark chocolate and a long smoky finish and a serving recommendation of “best enjoyed neat or with a sip of iced water to open its layered notes.” XR21 is described as whiskies aged at least 21 years and assembled via a rare three‑stage process; its tasting notes emphasize honey, spice, tropical fruits and a warm, lingering finish. Johnnie Walker promoted visual storytelling too, imagery in the release shows a Blue Label bottle and decorative box staged on blue and orange fabric with a projected blue horse silhouette and other close‑ups of teal, dune‑like particle patterns, while a Paper magazine party at the W Hotel celebrated Robert Wun’s bottle design with a crowd that “snaked down the staircase,” celebrity guests and a Kevin Woo performance (he called the night “a huge honor” and described his spot as “just a sing‑along”).
Rémy Martin’s Lunar New Year packaging married contemporary Chinese art with its signature Centaur motif. Artist Xue Song reimagined the Centaur via collage and Chinese ink, producing an artwork that depicts a centaur leading five horses; Paris Packaging Week coverage describes the gift box as wrapped in the artist’s vibrant red work, “embellished with embossing and metallic touches,” while the decanter and neck collar are decorated with Song’s golden Centaur and colorful elements from his painting. That Rémy Martin XO gift pack retails at $210, per the coverage, giving a clear price point for a mass‑market luxury gift that still carries an artist collaboration.
Two Cognac houses went fuller spectacle: Martell’s L’Or de Jean Martell Zodiac Edition was presented in a Baccarat decanter created in partnership with Chinese artist He Datian, and Hennessy’s The Horse Edition, created with artist Trajan Jia, arrives in a Baccarat crystal decanter finished with a gold filigree pattern. Formesdeluxe reports Hennessy’s release as “the first chapter in what will become the Zodiac Collection, a series of 12 rare cognacs,” positioning the Horse edition as the opening installment in an ambitious year‑by‑year program. Pricing and edition sizes for Martell and Hennessy were not provided in the fragments, but both brands’ choice of Baccarat crystal underlines a recurring theme: crystal decanters as trophy packaging that marry visual spectacle with collectible value.
Guerlain appeared in the Paris Packaging Week and social roundups with two threads: an upcycling denim collection and a collaboration for Rouge Bonheur with Atelier Truscelli. The supplied notes mark Guerlain’s activity but do not include retail pricing, edition size or detailed visuals, only the project titles, leaving the brand’s execution in need of further detail for buyers tracking materials and sustainability claims.
Outside spirits and fragrances, the design conversation extended to fragrance art: Dries Van Noten’s Soie Malaquais scent was reinterpreted by Dutch artist Bouke de Vries, whose bottles are “adorned with deconstructed porcelain” and retail at £6,000 (€6,889) per flacon, an example of couture‑adjacent fragrance as art object priced for collectors. On the trade side, packaging suppliers such as Sonoco used Paris Packaging Week to debut innovations like a unified metal and paper offering, underscoring that these seasonal editions sit within an ecosystem of materials and production advancements showcased to almost 15,000 attendees at the event.
A short decision rule: if you want an accessible artist gift, Rémy Martin’s $210 XO pack is a clear, wearable buy; if you collect statement pieces or display objects, opt for the Baccarat decanter collaborations from Hennessy or Martell. One polarizing thought: Baccarat decanter releases read more like museum‑ready trophies than everyday drinkers, beautiful to behold, but not necessarily practical for someone who prioritizes liquid over object. Tag someone who needs this for gift ideas, would you splurge on a crystal decanter or choose a decorated XO pack?
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