2021 Mid-Autumn Mooncake Reviews: Cultural Expressions of Luxury Brands

Written by Deborah Lau-Yu

Photographs provided by Lisa Fang, Deborah Lau-Yu and Holt Renfrew

The annual tradition of reviewing mooncakes from the lens of culture and design is always a fun time. In the recent years, at Fete Chinoise, we have been in multiple positions — as a tastemaker, an observer, a critic, and a grateful recipient. When it comes to Chinese cultural traditions and gifting, this is our wheelhouse and passion, and we endeavour to #movecultureforward with every project we partake in and discussion that we spur.

For Mid-Autumn Festival this year, we also launched the inaugural LOVE at Mid-Autumn Mooncake Campaign. The charity programme featured our custom designed special edition heirloom tins, filled with full-sized signature heart-shaped mooncakes. You'll read more about this as you follow our story below.

Let's have a peek at some unique portrayals of Mid-Autumn Festival by 5 luxury brands: Dior, Louis Vuitton, Van Cleef and Arpels, Tiffany and Co., and Holt Renfrew.

Tiffany & co.

Tiffany's aluminium rocket contains robin’s egg blue mooncake boxes. PHOTO COURTESY OF AUTHOR.

Tiffany's mid-autumn mooncake packaging. PHOTO COURTESY OF AUTHOR.

We give Tiffany & Co. the award for Creativity this year. Their concept is a rocket ship with astronaut rabbits that are walking on the moon. At first, it felt that though this adaptation of the moon is not conventional to the original mythology in Chinese culture, it is wildly fun and fabulous, with nods to the concepts of the jade rabbits and the moon. Then I looked at it again, and felt that it was closer to the spirit of the story than the initial impression. After all, the heart of the Chang’er on the Moon story is one about love and longing, of remembering those we love even if we can’t be together. The astronaut rabbit is holding a Tiffany blue box (of course) in an upright gesture, which could be interpreted as a gift to those we miss and cherish. Don’t we all wish we could ride the rocket to the moon and visit loved ones who might be living in the heavens?

Confidently delivered, the concept is imaginative and over the top, with personality. While capturing the notion of the moon, and boldly proclaiming their own brand, Tiffany's Mid-Autumn moment is a memorable one!

Tiffany's aluminium rocket containing robin’s egg blue mooncake boxes, mooncakes & greeting card.
PHOTO COURTESY OF AUTHOR.

Louis Vuitton

louis vuitton mid-autumn mooncake PAPER TRUNK, PHOTO COURTESY OF AUTHOR.

For Louis Vuitton, we hand them the trophy for Most Exquisite Use of Paper and Design. The brand’s avid shoppers and fans will definitely enjoy their design this year: an LV trunk. One of the most coveted products of the maison, their iconic trunks are known to be of superior quality. This beautiful box made out of paper is precisely executed and opens to two compartments. Containing 4 mooncakes, each cake is wrapped in an outer sleeve with an LV seal. Perhaps the most impressive moment though is the laser cut piece that keeps both “compartments” in place. It is colourless but textured with the brand’s motifs in a dotted patterns, but once you lift each flap and light penetrates through the holes, the entire suite comes to life. The detailed micropores allow natural light to highlight the maison’s monogram and motifs in a delightful moment. A simply elegant and detailed piece that any paper lover would want to collect.

Though the design does not try to tell another layer of the Mid-Autumn story, we appreciate its succinct and brand-driven eloquence. In a very subtle visual language, it does include an abstracted radiating moon and moon rays beaming around the logo on the greeting card, which would render the micropores of its signature pattern like the tars of the universe.

van cleef & Arpels

van cleef & Arpels mid-autumn mooncake package design 2021, with peninsula mooncakes. PHOTO COURTESY OF AUTHOR.

Van Cleef & Arpels never disappoints with their gift packging, and we would give the maison the top honours for The Most Beautiful Package and Opening Experience. Understated and substantial, the box arrived an had a presence similar to their jewellery packaging. Once you open the top compartment, a stunning bouquet of paper florals pop up, and clients would immediately recognize the shapes from their collections — a dance of moments from the Frivole, the Alhambra, the Perlee and Flora.

Though the design is more brand-centred, it is an impressive piece to receive, topped with four coveted Peninsula mooncakes from Hong Kong’s Peninsula Hotel in the bottom drawer.

Holt renfrew

Holt Renfrew mid-autumn mooncake Package 2021. PHOTO COURTESY OF holt renfrew.

Canadian luxury retailer Holt Renfrew took on their own mooncakes this year, which were available for purchase (versus only for gifting in previous years). The team designed an abstracted moon-inspired design with a contemporary ombre from blue to purple to pink. in a simple paper box. They emphasized the greeting on their packaging with simplified Chinese only.

Dior

Dior mid-autumn mooncake 2021. PHOTO COURTESY OF Lisa fang.

Evening Sky Blue seems to be a popular colour amongst the luxury houses. Dior brought the galaxy onto their packaging, with 6 individually-boxed mooncakes. Much like some of the maison’s patterns on their silk scarves, the illustration is simple and elegant, with a good amount of stroke detail to achieve the recent Dior visual language.

fête chinoise – love at mid-autumn

And of course, this year, Fete Chinoise also brought to life our new signature heart-shaped mooncakes, in collaboration with Saint Germain. In support of mental health at Markham Stouffville Hospital, our mandate was to spread the love in the community through the celebration of design, tradition and culture. Thank you to HSBC Bank Canada for being the presenting sponsor of what was a successful and meaningful campaign.