Renowned for her bold and inherently delicate designs, Shanghai-based fashion designer Shuting Qiu has carved a reputable career out of her daring creations. Often traversing between asymmetry and silhouette experimentation, her designs often exude a natural fusion of elaborate embroideries along with linear and floral motifs.
Qiu’s exquisite creative vision has now extended into the world of spirits with a festive collaboration with Maison Hennessy. Arriving just in time to welcome the Year of the Snake, the limited-edition collection brings together the worlds of style and spirits in a fitting homage to artistry and craftsmanship.
“Hennessy has given me an opportunity to share my ideas and vision with the world, which is an incredible platform for me, as a young Chinese designer,” explains Qiu. “The Hennessy carafes are classics, and this is similar to fashion in that every brand has its classic silhouettes, unique designs and colours.”
Slithering Spirit
Shanghai-based fashion designer Shuting Qiu.
Titled ‘Reimagination’, Maison Hennessy’s 2025 Chinese New Year collection features Qui’s impeccable designs and abstract interpretations adorning Hennessy‘s iconic VSOP, X.O, and Paradis cognac carafes. Blending traditional Chinese motifs with contemporary flair, the designer utilises vibrant splashes of colour and prints including Chinese brocade patterns to reflect the texture and scales of the Chinese zodiac.
With the collection encompassing three different blends, Qui has created three distinctive works of art to dress each bottle. Each naturally embellished with auspicious red, the bottles feature a snake pattern that evokes the flow of the Charente River in Cognac.
Hennessy’s iconic VSOP, X.O, and Paradis cognac carafes get a festive treatment inspired by the Year of the Snake.
The VSOP edition – described by the designer as ‘youthful and energetic – is lathered in vibrant red floral motifs alongside Hawaiian-inspired elements. An artistic celebration of colour, the bottle’s design combines plaid and abstract snake scale silhouettes, symbolising renewal and legacy. Accompanying the bottle is a lined bag featuring floral and leaf motifs as well as an embossed gift box.
The Hennessy VSOP limited edition is presented with a linen bag created by the designer.
For the X.O edition, Qiu utilises a combination of red, gold and blue to bring the bottle alive. An embossed snake design along with lozenge shapes inspired by traditional Chinese motifs and a gold cork further elevates the design giving it a bold and dynamic outlook. Presented in a recyclable gift box, the X.O edition features an embossed blend of patterns with a fabric-like texture.
For the exclusive limited-edition Paradis a sculptural snake motif is effectively utilised to transform the bottle into a vibrant red masterpiece. A unique design feature is its leather collar, with a soft-to-the-touch-graphic motif hinting at the awakening of spring, inspired by the rebirth of a graceful snake shedding its skin.
