Xue Song’s artwork features across Rémy Martin XO and Rémy Martin VSOP bottles.

Rémy Martin has unveiled a high-profile Lunar New Year 2026 collaboration with Xue Song, translating contemporary Chinese art into a series of limited-edition travel retail gift packs timed for one of the channel’s most important gifting periods.

Created to mark the Year of the Horse, the collaboration centres on a new artwork by Xue Song that reinterprets Rémy Martin’s iconic Centaur emblem. Known for his distinctive Pop Art style, which fuses collage with traditional Chinese ink techniques, Xue has produced a large-scale work depicting the Centaur leading a group of horses forward. In Chinese culture, the horse symbolises strength, speed and perseverance, while the Centaur represents balance between earth and sky, heritage and aspiration.

The artwork now features across limited-edition presentations of Rémy Martin XO and Rémy Martin VSOP, both of which are already on shelf in global travel retail. Designed as highly collectible gifting pieces, the packs blend Rémy Martin’s visual codes with the bold reds, metallic finishes and layered symbolism associated with Lunar New Year celebrations.

The launch is supported by a wide-reaching programme of airport activations across key international hubs including Hong Kong, Singapore, London Heathrow, Dubai, Taiwan, Osaka, Bangkok, Melbourne and Istanbul. These activations place strong emphasis on storytelling and engagement, with eye-catching merchandising, in-store displays and coordinated communications developed alongside retail partners.

In selected locations, the experience is extended through a Lunar New Year ritual that invites shoppers to create personalised greeting cards using woodblock stamps and Chinese calligraphy. The cards feature the campaign message 邑马当先, meaning “Centaur paving the way”, alongside bespoke design motifs inspired by Xue Song’s artwork. Traditional red Hongbao envelopes are also offered in certain markets as a gift with purchase, reinforcing the cultural relevance of the launch.

“For Chinese travellers, Lunar New Year represents a peak period for premium gifting, and cognac naturally plays a central role in these celebratory occasions,” said Fida Bou Chabke, CEO Global Travel Retail at Rémy Cointreau. “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.”

Xue Song is known for his distinctive Pop Art style.

At the top of the range, the limited-edition Rémy Martin XO gift box features the golden Centaur at the forefront, set against Xue Song’s vibrant red collage. The sliding box opens to reveal the decanter within a mythical landscape of clouds, bamboo and rocks, while the reverse unveils the full artwork. The XO decanter itself is finished with decorative elements drawn directly from the painting, positioning it firmly as a keepsake beyond the festive season.

Rémy Martin VSOP also receives a Lunar New Year update, with a frosted glass bottle and gift box embossed with Xue Song’s collage-style design. As the first VSOP Cognac Fine Champagne ever created, the expression combines approachability with Maison savoir-faire, making it a natural fit for festive gifting.

The launch is supported by a wide-reaching programme of airport activations across key international hubs (shown here in Osaka).

“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,” said Amaury Vinclet, General Manager of Rémy Martin. “At the head of the herd, the Rémy Martin Centaur paves the way, ushering in an exciting year of infinite possibilities and positivity.”

Through this collaboration, Rémy Martin reinforces its long-term Lunar New Year strategy in travel retail, using art, culture and experience-led activations to connect heritage cognac with modern travelling consumers at scale.

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