Nespresso and Angel Chen join forces to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit

How do you usually celebrate Lunar New Year?

The Lunar New Year is an important celebration for the Chinese, and it is no exception to my family and I. Each year as Lunar New Year beckons, I cherish the opportunity to reunite and spend time with my family, friends and loved ones. I never really understood the significance of the Lunar New Year as a child, until I arrived at Central Saint Martins to further my education and being away from family and friends for the first time during the festive period. It was then that I began to treasure the importance of ‘reunion’.

Since then, every Lunar New Year is a reason to celebrate – be it over food, coffee or seasonal fruits. I usually get together with my friends and family to make dumplings, write Spring Festival scrolls and watch the Spring Festival Gala. I enjoy sharing my experience, harvest and joy with my family and friends during the Chinese New Year. I believe that every celebration begins with good conversations that allow for bonding and fostering closer ties.

How did the collaboration come about?

The main reason is simple: Nespresso and Angel Chen share very similar values and brand directions. However deep down, I always felt a close connection between Nespresso and me.

Here’s a little-known fact about me – I am one of the early adopters of Nespresso in China. My first encounter with Nespresso traces back to 2006, when I first tasted a cup of Nespresso coffee in a hotel in Dubai during a family trip. My family fell in love with Nespresso and became a loyal fan of Nespresso in 2008. Nespresso has always reminded me of the warmth of this particular family time, which gives this collaboration a special meaning during the reunion season.

Over the years, I have seen Nespresso introducing more tasty coffee capsules and coffee machines. It’s amazing to see the continuous innovation and upgrades from a brand I have long admired.

Talk us through the process of the NESPRESSO X ANGEL CHEN collection.

It has been an enjoyable experience collaborating with Nespresso. It started with an invitation to visit the Nespresso Boutique, and I was so inspired by everything we saw and experienced there. I got to see the new products and refresh my connection to the brand.

I tried and tasted coffee capsules made of coffee beans harvested from different regions and learned more about the sustainability efforts Nespresso has undertaken. I loved the artwork hanging in the store made from recycled coffee capsules. It looks like a patchwork with all different colors like orange, green and blue. There was also a beautiful and well-designed table made from recycled coffee beans at the boutique.

NESPRESSO x ANGEL CHEN is one of the most creative and special projects I have done recently. We didn’t start the design with the usual sketch. Given that the theme was built around the year of the rabbit, I did a lot of research on materials and ways to do patchwork. Nespresso was really excited about my pitched idea, and we all agreed to move ahead with this idea. I enjoyed the freedom of playing around with the colours, prints, and fabrics, and I experienced different ways to cut fabrics and put them together to create the patchwork rabbit. It is lovely to see the used and leftover materials being given a second life.

Colour is always your first element that keeps in mind when creating a collection, how do you manage to balance this collection with festive colours and modern interpretation?

The Patchwork Rabbit and campaign key visual I created for the collection feature a vibrant combination of red and gold that represents spring, prosperity, and luxury. I love the perfect symphony these two colours bring when they are together – you feel energised and blessed. To give the collection a contemporary twist, I have incorporated different fabrics and materials for the sophisticated finish. The patchwork rabbit designed with Nespresso for Lunar New Year is fashioned out of balance fabrics from ANGEL CHEN and used coffee bags.

Does the collaboration with Nespresso spark new thoughts on your upcoming journey as a rising artist?

The partnership opened my eyes to a new aesthetic perspective beyond the fashion world. It deepens my belief in recycling – how it is a force of good, how making a small step is everything, and how beautiful they can be when given a second life.

Fusion has always been my expertise, be it blending vibrant colours or mixing Eastern and Western aesthetics and elements. Now, I look forward to further exploring incorporating different unused/used fabrics and materials in ANGEL CHEN, weaving more sustainability elements into my design.

Do you have a favourite Lunar New Year-inspired coffee recipe?

As part of the collaboration, Nespresso and I are excited to present two delightful recipes – the Peanut Mocha and Sweet Reunion – inspired by my favourite auspicious ingredients of the season.

While both recipes satisfy my taste, I love the Sweet Reunion which reminds me of the top notes of pomelo and honey. As the name suggests, Sweet Reunion reminds one of the importance of connecting with loved ones and the sweet moments that follow once the reunion has taken place. In addition, the Chinese pronunciation of ‘pomelo’ is similar to the word ‘bless’, and the round shape of pomelo also means ‘family reunion’. They are also widely acknowledged for bringing good luck to the household.

I recommend coffee aficionados to enjoy a sacred coffee moment with Nespresso, be it as a sweet ending to the reunion feast with family or as an afternoon of conversations and treats with friends. We hope these recipes will make the Lunar New Year celebrations more exciting and memorable.

Anything you would like to share with our readers during this festive season?

I would like to share my New Year wishes with the readers. As the auspicious rabbit indicates, I wish everyone have a joyful and prosperous year in 2023 with family and friends. I hope the positivity symbolised by the rabbit will inspire everyone to greet the new year with the same optimism embodied.