Rémy Martin (Rémy Cointreau) has partnered with Chinese artist Xue Song to release limited-edition Year of the Horse bottles and gift boxes in celebration of Lunar New Year.
The Xue Song Year of the Horse Rémy Martin XO and VSOP editions are now available across global travel retail.
Xue Song is a 2024 Hurun Top 100 Chinese artist recognised for his distinctive pop-art approach that fuses collage with Chinese calligraphy.
For Lunar New Year, Song reinterpreted the Centaur, Rémy Martin’s historic emblem. In Song’s large-scale artwork, the centaur is depicted leading a dynamic procession of horses. Within Chinese zodiac symbolism, the horse represents strength, speed and perseverance, while the Centaur bridges earth and sky.
The 2026 Lunar New Year editions are supported by a series of high-profile activations across key airports, including Hong Kong, Singapore, London Heathrow, Dubai, Taiwan, Osaka, Bangkok, Melbourne and Istanbul, among others.
Immersive in-store activations, elevated merchandising and high-impact visual displays spotlight the artist collaboration in key locations. In selected markets, customers receive traditional red Hongbao envelopes featuring elements of Xue Song’s Lunar New Year design.
To deepen engagement, selected activations incorporate a Lunar New Year ritual experience that invites shoppers to create a personalised greeting card using woodblock stamps and Chinese calligraphy.
Guided by brand ambassadors, shoppers can compose their own spring couplet using the campaign’s tagline, 邑马当先 (Centaur Paving the Way). The couplets convey wishes of prosperity and auspicious beginnings and feature bespoke motifs inspired by Song’s artwork.
The experience is further supported by a coordinated communications plan to drive consistent storytelling and visibility across multiple retail touchpoints.
“For Chinese travellers, Lunar New Year represents a peak period for premium gifting and Cognac naturally plays a central role in these celebratory occasions,” noted Rémy Cointreau CEO Global Travel Retail Fida Bou Chabke. “It is therefore a strategic priority for us to amplify the visibility and desirability of the House of Rémy Martin within the global travel retail environment during this holiday season.
“By activating strongly during this high-impact period, we aim not only to reinforce our leadership in Cognac, but also to deepen our cultural relevance with travelling consumers.
“The Rémy Martin X Xue Song collaboration reflects our long-term vision: investing in bold, creative expressions that speak to a new generation while remaining true to our heritage, and fully unlocking the commercial potential of critical consumption moments.”
The 2026 Lunar New Year collection
The Rémy Martin XO Lunar New Year collection features a festive design inspired by the symbolism of Xue Song’s large-scale artwork.
Stallions race behind the golden Centaur on the front of the gift box, embossed in metallic tones against a red collage backdrop.
The sliding box opens to reveal the decanter set within a landscape of clouds, bamboo and rock formations, with the full artwork unveiled on the reverse.
The limited-edition XO decanter and neck collar are adorned with Xue Song’s golden Centaur motif and colourful elements from the painting. Rémy Martin XO reflects the Cellar Master’s signature style, drawing on hundreds of eaux-de-vie to deliver aromatic complexity.
Rémy Martin VSOP is also presented in a Lunar New Year limited-edition that captures themes of good fortune and celebration. The frosted glass bottle is paired with a bespoke label and gift box decorated and embossed with Xue Song’s collage.
“An imaginative harmony of tradition and modernity, Xue Song’s bold artwork layers the storied heritage of our House with the elegance and rich symbolism of Asia,” noted Rémy Martin General Manager Amaury Vinclet.
“Using a rich fusion of colour and collage, he magnificently portrays the concept of taking the lead. At the head of the herd, the Rémy Martin Centaur paves the way, striving towards excellence, ushering in an exciting year of infinite possibilities and positivity.” ✈
