Celebrating 10 Years of Moving Culture Forward
Culture is like a majestic tree. Our roots are firmly planted; when we look up, the canopy of leaves shade us, and the branches move and bend with us in the storm. Then, like the rings of the trunk, as humans, we bear witness to time marked by the years of being alive…
Marking the milestone of Fête Chinoise’s 10th Anniversary, we revisit the 14 unique, hand-illustrated covers from the Fête Chinoise publications over the past decade. Each cover is paired with inspiring quotes from the stories of our interviewees and contributors, a tribute to the dedication, creativity, and unwavering commitment to “Moving Culture Forward” through excellence and powerful storytelling.
Edition 10: Thinking in Decades 拾年之躍
2025
Edition 10, our Book of Incredible People: Thinking in Decades, is based on the concept of “sitting in the shade of trees planted before us.” Relating culture to a majestic tree that roots us in its foundation, provides shade from the elements, and bends with grace and flexibility, the diaspora stories in this edition demonstrate true markers of time,
just as the rings of the tree trunk mark each year of life. With the curated and celebratory use of PMS gold on special pages, and a hand-illustrated cover of a tree trunk formed by quotes and proverbs written out by hand, this edition exemplifies originality, creativity, and storytelling that deeply resonates with our readers, offering them an insightful and visually captivating experience full of delight and joy.
“Every path has its own challenges but when thinking in decades, even hardships can be joys when you have purpose, community, and vision. ”
The Art of Celebration
2024
The Art of Celebration is a beautifully curated special edition that brings together modern style with life’s cherished milestones. This book is a celebration of love, culture, and tradition, showcasing how events and gatherings can reflect and enhance our personal and cultural narratives. This edition is a tribute to the joy of coming together and the artistry behind event design. Discover the intricate history of the Kwan Kwa in Chinese culture, which was the inspiration for the cover design. We hand-illustrated iconic symbolism and composed our own unique fabric, which was then beautifully embossed in gold to mimic the actual sparkle on golden threading in real life garments. The intricate beading and threads were individually created with strokes of ink and colour, weaving the dimension texture on paper.
“As you get older, things blur your vision and cover your heart. You may forget who you originally were. Kids bring you back to love.”
Design Annual 設計薈賞
2024
A love letter to the iconic neon lights of Hong Kong. Fresh and summery, the 2024 Design Annual cover artwork showcases a collection of transformed and dreamy hand-illustrated neon light signs, evoking a sense of nostalgia with a whimsical twist of playful pastels. Every one of these signs represents a story, a business, a time and place in Hong Kong’s history and neon light culture, as well as the craftsmanship required to create neon light signs out of glass tubes and calligraphy of Chinese characters. Many creators from this edition also embrace traditional cultural handcrafts and various forms of design from Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Toronto and Vancouver, each finding innovative ways to preserve and evolve the heritage in our fast-changing world.
“What we do as architects and designers is to capture the light that brings out the space, texture and mood. Light is timeless.”
Edition 9: Finding Momentum
衝 • 滿
2024
The cover art for the 9th Edition is inspired by a pinball machine, symbolising the never-ending adventure, spontaneity and passion involved in finding momentum in life. Each interviewee is subtly illustrated or represented by an object from their story as part of the pinball machine visual, highlighting each of their unique contributions and achievements. This collective keepsake celebrates their individual stories while capturing the dynamic energy of their pursuits. The dragon curved into a "9" on the cover not only celebrates the zodiac year of the Dragon, it also marks the milestone of the 9th Edition of our magazine.
“Momentum exists when you swing it yourself.”
Design Annual 設計薈賞
2023
Celebrating the exquisite art of Chinoiserie. This decorative style, which blends Chinese and Western elements, was highly popular in Europe from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The cover art reflects this rich fusion, illustrating how Chinese culture continues to thrive and evolve in contemporary applications. Inspiration takes off from the historic context of Chinoiserie: its history and artifacts beautifully explained in words and images by Waddingtons; the stunning hand-crafted chinoiserie wallpapers of a renowned British atelier de Gournay that have had transformative impact on interior design; and the intricate floral details in the jewellery design of traditional Chinese studio Yewn.
“I put pressure on myself to hit goals and then aim for the next one as soon as I think I find my momentum.”
Edition 8: Into the Unknown
未知 • 未來
2023
Edition 8 celebrates our community's trailblazers, inspirational thinkers and makers who are showing us how to embrace change. The cover art for this edition draws inspiration from the symbiotic relationship between knowledge–what we seek and depend on–and the unknown–what lies beyond our current understanding. The illustration depicts the tree of knowledge under a celadon canopy, symbolising growth, resilience, and the courage to reach upwards towards new heights and possibilities. This visual metaphor captures the essence of the edition, encouraging readers to find strength and inspiration in the face of the unknown. Look closely, and you will see each featured interviewee perched on the branches that intertwine with lucky number '8'.
“I fancy my journey as more of a life of chapters of story telling; there are no individual accomplishments or contributions without the entire body
of your community behind it.”
Design Annual 設計薈賞
2022
The Inaugural Design Annual is presented in a fresh sunshine shade of yellow and pops of colour, taking primary inspiration from Chinese Art Deco rugs and a cherished family heirloom tea set in the timeless beauty of the ‘Endless Longevity’ motif (萬壽無疆), passed down to our Editor-in-Chief. Drawing from a shared thread among diaspora families in Canada and Asia, the diverse stories in the book are represented in the cover art, including pop-art inspired interpretations of Malaysia’s Blue Mansion, Beijing’s siheyuan-turned-architect studio, and the Murray’s iconic window facade in Hong Kong. The colourful palette and vibrant design, honours their place in our collective history and cultural identity.
“It’s very important to me that our children know their history, and know how we were raised: our lineage, our ancestry.”
Edition 7: Perspective 覺 • 渡
2022
Nearly two years into the pandemic, the 7th Edition offered a fresh perspective on life during a time when the world stopped and had a chance to rethink and form new viewpoints. Through the lens of Chinese culture heritage, we present a collection of stories that challenged conventional notions and assumptions in the lives of high achieving people. The hand-illustrated cover art for this edition featured our interviewees captured in various vintage camera lenses, symbolising the diverse viewpoints, and was also the first time we added illustrated caricatures of people on our cover. This edition also featured a special "Conquering Hate through Art and Love" chapter to speak out against racial hate, as Asians were being targeted during the pandemic.
“Stand tall with honour. Grow strong with deep roots. Survive by bending in the wind.”
Edition 6: Time + Tempo
2021
"The days are long, but the years are short." Amidst the global pandemic, Edition 6 reflects on the profound shift in our perception of time, as our once fast-paced lives come to a halt. An abstracted tourbillon in blue and white porcelain, meticulously crafted using thousands of strokes of a blue ballpoint pen, symbolises the slowed process of creation amidst chaos and modern pace. Gold-debossed details feature Chinese lyrics from superstar Eason Chan's song "陀飛輪" evoke a sense of affirmation, rhythm and introspective spirit in the face of uncertainty. Together, these elements capture the essence of Edition 6, inviting readers to contemplate the passage of time and its impact on our lives.
“The trees we sit under today are the ones someone planted years ago. What we leave behind will be the shade for someone else to grow.”
Edition 5: Dreams Take Flight
2020
The 5th Edition's cover artwork resembles a piece of exquisite Jade that is carved with intricate details. The intention behind the design was to capture a modern day dreamscape inspired by billowing scroll paintings of mountain and water, transporting readers into a fantastical wonderland of cultural delight. All hand-illustrated in fine pencil work, the tapestry invites you down the rabbit hole of adventure, as the eye discovers moments that are distinctively unique, and represents the journeys and aspirations of numerous Big Dreamers among us. A stork is at once a ballet shoe; a brand of peach blossoms from a cake; a Toronto building is nestled in the mountains; a local film crew is shooting a scene; and a porcelain vase pops up for a cameo. The slight ombre from light to darker jade tones embraces both tradition and heritage of feicui jade sculptures as well as contemporary colourways made possible with technology and digital outputs, complete with the touch of Fête Chinoise's signature use of gold.
“I just had a dream and put myself into as many situations as possible to achieve opportunities.”
Edition 4: The Language of Legacy
2019
We are all empowered by language and legacy. Celebrating the richness of cultural heritage, the 4th Edition showcases exquisite stories of culture materialised into visual forms of language, bridging traditional and contemporary values. The colourful cover integrates the Thousand Word Poem in seal script, written by the masterful brush of Canadian Chinese artist Master Shan Bai-Qin with an abstraction of a Chinese embroidered silk fabric. Inside the book, a special chapter also echoes the art on the cover in a visual duet with vibrant coloured contemporary compositions of classic calligraphy by Canadian artist Debbie Mak. The interplay of art reflects the endless conversation that language has to offer. This combination of classical and modern styles underscores the ongoing dialogue between past and present, in which we consider, situate, and define our legacy.
“If these perspectives aren’t shared, then there is a limited depth of connection between cultural heritage and the Canadian story.”
Edition 3: Luck & Ritual
2017/18
Deep diving into stories and Chinese mythology behind the concepts of luck and rituals, the cover of this edition is packed with rich symbolism. Icons and imagery associated with auspiciousness, traditions and celebrations from Chinese culture were illustrated in pencil and coloured in a seductive palette of merlots, magentas, pink, and gold. The art portrays an exuberant and eclectic dance of visual elements, many of which second generation Chinese-Canadians commonly grew up being surrounded by, oftentimes without ever really understanding the history or the meaning. Every element draws the eye to look more closely, piquing our curiosities and inventing the mind to consider what it all might mean to us personally, today.
“Throughout my career, perseverance, integrity, and continuous willingness to learn have been my guiding principles.”
Edition 2: The Modern Celebration
2016
Continuing the exploration of contemporary Chinese Culture through Canadian perspectives, the 2nd Edition showcased modern events, weddings, and celebrations through a lens of cultural fusion and diaspora stories. The cover is adorned with hand-illustrated flowers, inspired by a beautiful vintage set of porcelain planters that belong to Mrs. Rose Yue. Presented in a vibrant colour palette, the design is a contemporary expression that seamlessly blends oriental influences with modern design elements that speak to anyone who loves beauty.
“If you can tell the story of the worst thing that has ever happened to you, you’ll never be silenced.”
The Inaugural
2015
The Inaugural Fête Chinoise magazine was born alongside the Fête Chinoise exhibition, a gathering of Toronto's finest event designers and artists, showcasing the essence of "Chinese-Canadian" culture. The cover featured layered brush-strokes of the Fête Chinoise logo, which was created by Deborah, Founder + Editor-in-Chief using her own traditional Chinese paintbrush, stone-ground ink and rice paper. Remarkably, the English characters take on a unique visual aesthetic when done with the spirit of writing Chinese characters by brush. The design is meant to be free, not precious – graffiti-like in the same moment that it is prestigiously patterned.
“All the dedicated work to modernize and beautify the perception here of Chinese culture will help to elevate the image for our next generation growing up here in Canada.”
