In ancient times, white rabbits were very rare, meaning auspicious, and Jiang Fang of the Tang Dynasty praised the white rabbit in "White Rabbit Fu" as "bright as frost and warm as jade." Its appearance is true, its sex is benevolent. Therefore, the image of the rabbit is often used in the costumes of the ancients, symbolizing gentleness, beauty, gentleness and purity. In the modern fashion scene, the "rabbit" in the runway is more of a declaration of the designer's cute, grotesque or natural selfishness, which often brings the audience the experience of being in a different place, becoming a surprise, fun and topic.
The image of the rabbit has been ingrained in traditional Chinese culture since the time of the Book of Poetry – it is one of the six animals, and it was the prey that the ancients often captured; It is a hard-working jade rabbit who pounds medicine day and night in Chang'e Palace; It is a female figure of "still like a virgin, moving like a rabbit"; It is also a symbol of beautiful marriage and auspicious peace in the hearts of the ancients.
Therefore, not only in the poetry text has been widely circulated, the image of the rabbit also often appears in traditional Chinese crafts and art works, "rabbit pattern" has gradually developed different forms of application, according to the "Chinese Classic Pattern Guide" recorded: "Different periods of rabbit pattern its shape and structure have also changed, but mostly appear in the side of the whole body image, petite body, short hair, short tail ears long, the form of expression includes squatting, jumping, running, leaning and other actions." ”
Jin dynasty porcelain state kiln - magnetic pillow rubbing rabbit pattern
In the weaving embroidery, the rabbit pattern has many auspicious meanings and pins people's yearning for a better life. Rabbit patterns of prey images often appear in the brocade of the Tang Dynasty, mainly hunting themes; The rabbit pattern in the brocade of the Yuan Dynasty appears more in the form of a tuanxi, and the form adds the shape of a standing rabbit and a running rabbit; In the Ming Dynasty, the rabbit pattern was cleverly combined with the "makeup flower" process, reaching a new height.
As the most complex jacquard silk weaving technique in Nanjing Yunjin, "Makeup Flower" can best express the image of the rabbit's smart and cute, pure and gentle, and the embroidered rabbit in "Makeup Flower" either raises its head or mouths a lingzhi, with a background pattern appreciated by both elegant and common people, can become a timeless classic. The yellow land laurel rabbit pattern makeup yarn during the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty is a fine product of makeup rabbit pattern handed down to this day, and the three rows of rabbit patterns in the composition are decorated with chrysanthemums and peony patterns, and the yarn of ten colors is fused in a plain yarn-dyed way, and the weaver is delicate and visually three-dimensional.
Shang dynasty green jade rabbit shaped piece
Bentu Yunjin
By the Ming Dynasty, rabbit-patterned fabrics appeared more in the form of complements, and the "moon pattern" in the twelve emblems was also composed of rabbit patterns and other figures. As part of the "official uniform" of the court, the rabbit print has undergone a process from complex to simple, and from simple to complex, and has increasingly become a basic element in the symbol of power.
Mochizuki rabbit complement
Jade rabbit pounding medicine tonics
In addition, the white rabbit has another blessing that has developed with history, and Ge Hong uses this expression in "Holding Puzi": "Tigers and deer, rabbits all live a thousand years." Those who are over 500 years old have a white coat" - people mean that the white rabbit is a rabbit that is albino in its natural state, that is, a long-lived rabbit. Later, the shape of the white rabbit was also used for longevity celebrations, combined with the word "shou" to form a rabbit shou supplement, which appeared in the weaving of women's jackets.
Dingling rabbit pattern women's jacket
Rabbit shou supplement
It was also from the Ming Dynasty that it became a custom to change clothing according to seasonal orders. On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the white rabbit osmanthus can best reflect the theme of the Mid-Autumn Festival. A special robe for the August flower god in the collection of the Palace Museum in the Qing Guangxu era opera, the osmanthus jade rabbit stand-up collar placket is lined with pink linen, the body is based on green satin embroidered fabric, embellished with osmanthus, white rabbit and gold ball patterns, snow-blue satin strips piping, and the skirt is ruyi-shaped. The shape of the white rabbit jumps in the middle, bright and pleasant, fresh and unearthly.
Qing Guangxu green satin embroidered osmanthus jade rabbit gold ball pattern August flower god robe
In modern times, the traditional rabbit pattern process is complex and time-consuming, and rabbits are more popular images in folk costumes, mostly used by children.
Shanxi Museum modern "rabbit" children's hat
Modern black rabbit pillow at National Art Museum of China
If the jade rabbit pounding medicine and Chang'e under everything is just a myth, then how to explain the rabbit jumping alive in the show? Between Alexander McQueen's wild nature scene and Stella McCartney's fun zoo, which rabbit do you prefer?
Alexander McQueen 2009 Spring/Summer collection
Stella McCartney 2020 Fall/Winter collection
Or the one in Kate Moss' arms on the Vivienne Westwood 1995 Vive la Cocotte runway?
Vivienne Westwood 1995
First of all, the rabbit headdress continued to appear, and people realized that rabbits can bring a "mysterious" fashion atmosphere. In 1998, Helmut Lang, who has always been cold and neat, chose to match rabbit ears with a one-piece dress, in addition to calmness, there is a hint of sweet temperament. Rei Kawakubo, who is far away in Japan, added a rabbit ear hat to the Comme des Garcons Homme Fall/Winter 2013 collection, with leather binaurals erected on the classic forward hat and flat-brimmed baseball cap, neutralizing the sweetness of the garment, bringing a little toughness and a little surprise.
Helmut Lang 1998
Comme des Garcons Homme 2013 Fall/Winter collection
Compared with the use of traditional Chinese rabbit prints, the modern fashion industry is more straightforward, directly using cartoon rabbit prints to narrow the distance with consumers. The first fashion brand to use the Disney IP Bugs Bunny image was Moschino, which as always shows the brand's distinctive playful visual system and favor of pop culture. Gucci's expression is more in line with Alessandro Michele's style of steering, and in the spring/summer 2018 collection, Alessandro chose a combination of starling bunny, diamonds and formal wear, noble and witty, orthodox and ironic.
Moschino 2015 Fall/Winter collection
Gucci 2018 spring/summer collection
There are also some natural and memorable pieces, such as Phoebe Philo's unnoticed Celine edition rabbit print, and Schiaparelli's Fall/Winter 2018 collection that perfectly fits into the set. On the Celine 2015 Fall/Winter runway, inky blue rabbit prints jumped on shirts like landscape paintings, and quietly hid under the huge figure painting cloak, as if a woman strolling in a museum blended in with the environment; Coming to Schiaparelli couture in 2018, the rabbit headdress is no longer a decoration or prop, but a "room" directly becomes an integral part of the set.
Celine 2015 Fall/Winter collection
Schiaparelli 2018 Fall/Winter collection
At this point, broader discussions and combinations are emerging, making the rabbit a virtual character and fashion into your virtual outfit, something Ambush discussed in Spring 2023 ready-to-wear. Viewers can even access 1990s Tokyo clubs directly through wearables.
Ambush 2023 spring/summer collection
Ambush 2023 spring/summer collection
In addition to fashion, bags are also popular containers for rabbit images, and they are not only present on specific holidays, but also become classic collections that designers have carefully created. On the one hand, the brand favors the cute image of the rabbit, as Lorentz pointed out in 1949, "humans love animals with obvious pedomorphosis", and the bag with the image of the rabbit is the only choice to arouse consumers' love and protection. Check out the MCM Zoo Rabbit mini Visetos bucket bag, where the probing orange bunny is calling you; Not to mention Loewe's best-selling rabbit bag collection, which has been exploring numerous animal-inspired bag products, Loewe is now very skilled and able to truly "go deeper" to extract the characteristics of the rabbit image, rather than the whole picture.
MCM Zoo Rabbit mini Visetos bucket bag
Loewe Hammock Nugget bunny handbag
On the other hand, the cuteness of the rabbit image is a huge contrast with the evil in the religious sense, and some designers are grasping this subtle feature in an attempt to bring an avant-garde product that "embraces an evil that does not seem evil". Mandy Coon, the designer's eponymous brand that relies on the GINNY CLASSIC LEATHER BUNNY BAG, is a pioneer of this type of product, and on the runway in 2013, the image of the decadent and cute rabbit appeared.
Mandy Coon 2013
Helmut Lang 1998
Then there is the Rick Owens rabbit mini bag series launched in 2019 by Rick Owens, known for its dark style, which also seems to exude such a "dark fairy tale" mysterious color. Each "rabbit" made of mink or sheepskin has only one eye and two rather obtrusive buckteeth, bizarre white, black and red rabbit packets, like a spell switch that you carry with you.
Rick Owens rabbit mini bag collection
However, when it comes to the ultimate representation of the rabbit in the fashion industry, people will undoubtedly think of the American brand that combines popularity and sexiness - Playboy. Starting with the use of Marilyn Monroe by the cover girl of Playboy's inaugural issue, a humorous, lively and playful "sexual connotation" began to be inseparable from the image of the rabbit, and Art Paul, the artistic director who designed the logo for Playboy, confessed: "I chose it because it is a fresh animal, shy, lively, jumpy - sexy." As the best brand in the derivatives market, Playboy has successfully made "Rabbit" a "character" rather than just an "image".
Playboy Rabbit Head Playmate Necklace
Playboy x STUDS BFF Charm Huggies
Playboy Rabbit Head Knit Beanie
Playboy Circular Rabbit Head Ring
In the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit corresponds to the 卯 in the twelve earth branches, which is February in terms of the year and month, "all things flourish and emerge from the earth." "There is no doubt that all wishes, imaginations and the exploration of fashion will continue to grow in the Year of the Rabbit, change is happening, history is still there, and a new starting point seems to be popping up in the furry.