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| H&M Welcomes Neo Hou as Greater China Face for Its Chinese New Year 2026 Campaign (Photo: Sina) |
H&M has officially kicked off the countdown to Chinese New Year 2026 with a major announcement that instantly got fans talking. On 15 January, the global fashion brand confirmed rising star Neo Hou Minghao as its new Brand Ambassador for Greater China, marking a timely and carefully planned partnership ahead of the upcoming Year of the Horse.
The collaboration is more than a headline-friendly casting choice. For H&M, Neo Hou represents a new generation that values confidence, versatility, and personal style without boundaries. Known for balancing acting and music with ease, his natural charisma and grounded image align neatly with the brand’s long-standing message of free expression through fashion.
This appointment also signals H&M’s strategic focus on cultural storytelling. With the Horse symbolising vitality, movement, and forward momentum in 2026, Neo Hou’s presence feels intentional rather than cosmetic.
His image reflects a youthful energy that keeps evolving, mirroring the brand’s push to stay relevant in a fast-changing fashion landscape.
As the main face of H&M’s Chinese New Year 2026 campaign, Neo Hou leads the visual narrative with a modern, high-impact aesthetic.
The campaign leans into minimalist lighting paired with bold colour contrasts, creating a festive mood that feels fresh rather than traditional-heavy. Every pose and movement highlights speed, strength, and confidence, drawing inspiration from a horse charging forward without hesitation.
The 2026 New Year collection itself blends Eastern inspiration with contemporary design.
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For womenswear, clean silhouettes are reworked with traditional details such as decorative fastenings, rich woven textures, porcelain-inspired patterns, and structured pleats that create fluid movement.
The result is a line that feels celebratory yet wearable, offering flexible styling options across knitwear, skirts, and tailored trousers.
Menswear takes a more relaxed but expressive approach. Mixing American sportswear influences with street-style aesthetics, the collection features corduroy jackets, washed denim, half-zip sweatshirts, and loose cuts that prioritise comfort without losing edge.
Festive red appears either as a statement look or through sharp colour-blocking, while horse motifs show up in embroidery and graphic prints, adding symbolic flair without feeling overstated.
The childrenswear line brings a playful close to the collection. Girls’ designs feature hand-drawn horse illustrations mixed with lucky New Year symbols, while boys’ pieces highlight cheerful motifs like firecrackers and fruit icons. Warm quilting, textured knits, and subtle metallic details keep the outfits practical, festive, and easy to wear.
Online reactions to Neo Hou’s appointment have been mixed but lively. Many fans praised H&M for choosing a young ambassador who feels current, versatile, and relatable, with comments highlighting his clean image and fashion adaptability.
Others debated whether the brand could have gone with a more established name, sparking discussions around how luxury-adjacent fashion brands are increasingly leaning towards rising talents rather than long-standing stars.
Some netizens also pointed out that Neo Hou’s calm confidence suits H&M’s direction better than a louder celebrity pick, while fashion-focused fans expressed curiosity about how the full campaign visuals and styling will roll out across platforms closer to the New Year.
With Chinese New Year 2026 still some way off, this collaboration has already set the tone for what’s to come. Will Neo Hou redefine H&M’s presence in Greater China, or is this just the first of several bold moves the brand has planned?