When Madelyn Chung was growing up, just a handful of stores had Lunar New Year displays.

It felt like a special homage to her Chinese culture.

Now she looks at the proliferation of Lunar New Year retail sales and marketing campaigns across Canada with a more critical eye.

91裸聊视频淚 equate it to rainbow washing or green washing,91裸聊视频� she said, referring to businesses that use pride colours to appeal to LBGTQ shoppers or ecological claims to appear environmentally friendly without taking meaningful action.

91裸聊视频淪ome stores just want to capitalize on the Lunar New Year celebrations because they know there are a lot of Chinese people who have money to spend on luxury items,91裸聊视频� she said in an interview from Toronto.

The Lunar New Year is a popular festival in many Asian cultures involving large celebrations, shared meals and gift giving.

Ahead of this year91裸聊视频檚 celebration on Jan. 22, retail stores are increasingly seizing on the holiday spirit.

Many have set up special in-store displays, particularly department stores in parts of the country with larger Asian-Canadian populations.

In Toronto, for example, Holt Renfrew is offering an afternoon tea for Lunar New Year, while Hudson91裸聊视频檚 Bay has a window display and curated in-store products for the holiday.

HBC spokeswoman Tiffany Bourre said that while the store is excited to celebrate occasions, 91裸聊视频渋nclusivity and representation is a focus year-round from the brands we invest in and products we sell to the people that make up our organization.91裸聊视频�

Canadian retailers like Canada Goose and Herschel have also launched Lunar New Year web pages with gift ideas to help drive online sales.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e definitely noticed an uptick in brands marketing their products or putting a spin on their collection for Lunar New Year,91裸聊视频� said Joyce Lim, co-founder of Sprout collection, a clothing rental service.

It comes at the end of a string of shopping events 91裸聊视频� Black Friday, Christmas and Boxing Day 91裸聊视频� at a time when sales usually hit a low point as bills pile up and consumer fatigue peaks.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a quiet time in retail,91裸聊视频� retail analyst Bruce Winder said. 91裸聊视频淎 lot of stores lose money in the first few months of the year. They need cash to keep coming in and the Lunar New Year is an opportunity to create a mini sales event.91裸聊视频�

Yet the adoption of Lunar New Year-themed sales in department stores and malls comes as many Chinatown neighbourhoods in Canada are under threat of redevelopment.

Many small mom and pop shops owned by Asian immigrants also folded under the weight of shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

91裸聊视频淎sian people are not one homogenous group 91裸聊视频� there will be different opinions,91裸聊视频� Chung said. 91裸聊视频淚 think there will be mixed feelings about the commercialization of Lunar New Year.91裸聊视频�

Some companies have developed entire product lines with Lunar New Year themes.

Upscale brands like Dior and Montblanc offer everything from handbags and fountain pens to clothing and cosmetics for the holiday. Items often feature bright shades of red and gold and the zodiac animal of the year.

91裸聊视频淎 significant portion of designer brands91裸聊视频� revenue comes from an Asian clientele,91裸聊视频� Lim said. 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 not surprised that they91裸聊视频檙e trying to cater to this specific subset of shoppers in what is perhaps the most auspicious time of year.91裸聊视频�

Yet Lunar New Year sales and products are also expanding beyond the luxury retail space.

Mainstream stores in Canada are offering Lunar New Year goods with more accessible price points, reflecting the varied financial means of Canadians that celebrate the holiday.

Even certain discount stores are selling decorations and other items for the event.

It91裸聊视频檚 part of the retail industry91裸聊视频檚 efforts to reflect the diversity within the Canadian landscape and 91裸聊视频渢o provide customers with services, products and special events that speak to their experiences and backgrounds,91裸聊视频� Retail Council of Canada national spokeswoman Michelle Wasylyshen said.

In 2021, more than seven million people in Canada reported having Asian origins 91裸聊视频� nearly 20 per cent of the entire population, according to Statistics Canada.

Chinese Canadians made up nearly five per cent of Canada91裸聊视频檚 total population in that same year, the federal agency said.

Meanwhile, rather than simply repackaging products for Lunar New Year, some brands are collaborating with Asian artists on unique products to mark the occasion.

91裸聊视频淪ome companies just slap a bunny on a product and call it a Lunar New Year gift,91裸聊视频� Chung said (2023 is the year of the rabbit in the Chinese and Korean zodiacs, while in the Vietnamese zodiac it91裸聊视频檚 the year of the cat).

91裸聊视频淚 saw a red Playboy shirt with the bunny on it that just made me cringe,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淏ut some stores are taking a more thoughtful approach and actually involving Asian artists to create something special.91裸聊视频�

Canadian clothing retailer Aritzia, for example, has launched a limited-edition Lunar New Year collection this year featuring illustrations by four artists with Chinese roots.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 great when stores actually team up with Asian creators,91裸聊视频� Chung said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 about actually supporting these communities as opposed to just capitalizing on a really important time of year for them.91裸聊视频�

Still, while some stores are taking more respectful approaches to Lunar New Year sales that incorporate Asian designers, Lim urged Canadians to think twice before rushing out to buy a new wardrobe.

91裸聊视频淕iven the economy we91裸聊视频檙e now in and the rising cost of living, we should try not to get sucked into these marketing campaigns,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淒on91裸聊视频檛 rush out and buy a Dior watch just because there91裸聊视频檚 a bunny on it.91裸聊视频�

Brett Bundale, The Canadian Press

Like us on and follow us on .