Prada 'Lunar New Year 2024' Ad Campaign

Review of Prada Lunar New Year 2024 Ad Campaign by Director & Photographer Leslie Zhang with models Du Juan and Zhao Lei

Prada celebrates Lunar New Year with a campaign that puts a cinematic and vivid spin on the holiday’s typical marketing techniques. The campaign was shot by one of China’s most visionary and renowned young photographers, Leslie Zhang.

The campaign was captured in the historic Prada Rong Zhai residence, a space opened by Prada in 2017 following meticulous restoration work on the original 1918 residence and now home to cultural events organized by the Prada Group in China.

Zhang’s imagery draws on the energy of the space’s historic architecture that mixes Chinese and European elements while creating a vivid cinematic energy that perfectly frames his two stars, actors Du Juan and Zhao Lei. A deep color palette and inspired by arthouse cinema, particularly by iconic Chinese films like those of Wong Kar-wai, imbues the space thanks to clever set design that places light panels behind the residence’s windows and doors. The portraits thus take on a subtly surreal quality, a spirit of vivid romance that is nonetheless grounded by elegant design.

The imagery doesn’t abide by the typical visual constraints of Lunar New Year campaigns (which usually just means prominently featuring the color red and references to the holiday’s traditions), but that actually works in its favor. While paying homage to China’s great artistry through its casting as well as more subtly through its cinematic references, the campaign remains recognizably grounded in Prada’s distinct visual oeuvre, at once participating in traditions while finding new ways to celebrate.