The Inspiration Behind Love at Mid-Autumn 2024: A Time Capsule 愛在中秋2024：霓虹幻境
English 英: Deborah LAu-Yu · Chinese 中：Translated by 文禮
Photography: Fête Chinoise
As featured in 2024 Fête Chinoise Design Annual
Solidifying its annual position for Mid-Autumn Festival in Canada, the Fête Chinoise collectors’ edition mooncake tin from our Love at Mid-Autumn charity programme delighted and created a special memory for many families last year. From year one into what is now the fourth year, we have sprung off of inspiration from vintage Cha Chaan Tengs of Hong Kong and deco details from the Shanghai Peace Hotel, the universally-known Famille Rose porcelain design in Emperor’s yellow, and a summery take on Chinoiserie inspired by de Gournay wallpapers.
Each keepsake tin in 2023 housed our signature heart-shaped mooncakes, stamped with an illustrated peony and a little bud to represent the next generation, and taken from our Chinoiserie pattern. Created in partnership with Saint Germain Bakery, the package full of love and inspiration was delivered to over 1200 families to celebrate the festival and tradition of devouring mooncakes while admiring the full moon and lighting lanterns. The campaign donated over $60,000 to Holland Bloorview Kids’ Rehabilitation Hospital, and in total the project has raised and donated a total of $150,000 for Canadian charities.
In this article, you will have a chance to read about the inspiration behind the 2024 design which represents the feature story in this edition: the disappearing neon lights of Hong Kong’s streetscapes. Each and every handmade glowing neon sign symbolizes a life and history — a dream, a business, a family’s livelihood and service to the local community. This year’s tin design is a love letter to Hong Kong’s infamous vistas, full of life and vitality, and the city’s spirit, hustle, and bustle. Enjoy our design process!
以匠心重繪經典、傳承文化。
中秋節是中國最重要的傳統節日之一。 然而，對身在加拿大的我們而言，這個節日仿似只屬於華人社群，少數的節慶活動。
四年前，Fête Chinoise 創作團隊在《設計薈賞》創刊之初，便有一個心願：希望中秋節在加拿大主流社會中普及；不論種族、不論年紀，中秋節可以成為一年一度一起慶祝的節日。 這就是開展《愛在中秋》慈善月餅計劃的初衷。
近四年的努力，《愛在中秋》已開始得到加拿大不同階層的注意及參與。 團隊每年原創的慈善月餅盒設計也是我們對傳統的致敬：第一年的設計融合了香港舊式茶餐廳及上海和平飯店的獨特圖案；第二年則以鵝黃色系於家傳戶曉的萬壽無疆圖案上延續經典。 2023年的月餅設計以「中國風 Chinoiserie」手繪象徵富貴榮華的牡丹花及蓓蕾，盒內盛載本地飽點品牌 Saint Germain 餅店特別焙烘《愛在中秋》獨有的心形月餅，限量焙烘的1200多套月餅禮盒，為 Holland Bloorview 兒童復康醫院籌集了加幣六萬多元的善款，三年來《愛在中秋》慈善月餅計劃共捐出共十五萬加幣。
在這期雜誌中，將為大家透示團隊今年的設計概念：昔日香港五光十色的霓虹燈影。 每一個經人手精心製作的霓虹燈招牌都記載着一段歷史及故事 —— 從個人夢想、到家族產業，以至及整個社會的興衰起落。
2024年別注版的月餅禮盒是一封我們寫給香港的情書，讓我們一起懷緬昔日東方之珠滿目霓虹的耀目景緻，以及香港人充滿毅力、幹勁、百折不朽的精神。 希望大家在閱讀這書的同時，能共同感受團隊的誠意。
Order the 2024 Design Annual Now
FRESH & DREAMY! Presenting our Summer Launch: the 2024 Design Annual — the 3rd compilation of captivating stories of culture + design.
The cover artwork for this year showcases a collection of transformed and dreamy hand-illustrated neon light signs, evoking a sense of nostalgia with a whimsical twist of summery pastels. Every one of these signs represent 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. 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.
Featuring 10 compelling stories that resonate with our mission to Move Culture Forward, this year's edition continues to promise inspiration and dialogue with history in Asia and Canada.
Be among the first to immerse yourself in this extraordinary edition by pre-ordering your copy today, and embark on a 180-page multifaceted design journey!
More from Fête Chiniose
How Modern: Biographies of Architecture in China 1949–1979 at the Canadian Centre for Architecture uncovers overlooked modernist architecture. Curator Shirley Surya and researcher Li Hua discuss how architects navigated political constraints, blended local traditions, and innovated with limited resources, creating human-centred designs that reveal nuance, memory, and the lived experience of Chinese architecture.