The 5 best Holiday capsules of 2023

Holiday campaigns have now become a must-have of the Christmas season. They have perhaps the most difficult assignment of all other annual campaigns: they must tell the magic of Christmas. If once all that was needed was a fir tree adorned with lights, a lit fireplace and a snowy landscape beyond the window, today brands want to speak to their audiences beyond the imagery of Christmas in the narrow sense and also appeal to those who do not celebrate it. This is why we talk about winter holidays or, indeed, Holidays - but this new willingness to include audiences around the world, becomes a stimulating creative challenge that expands the boundaries of a language and imagery otherwise very limited to the usual kit of garlands, lodges and reindeer. And so this year's campaigns celebrate different facets of a wide but no less festive world. 

Here are which ones are the most interesting this year.

1. Missoni

The most original was Missoni, or rather Missoni Home, which, through the creative direction of Alberto Caliri, personalized the spaces of the creative hub SuonareStella, Paolo Stella's Milan apartment, presenting a unique coffee set. Paolo Stella's home is transformed into a living display of the Missoni home collection, with seating, tables and textiles creating a real and tangible environment. The creative hub thus becomes a tool to communicate a message, transforming furniture into a convivial experience. The encounter between Missoni, Paolo Stella and his daily column "The Good Morning Coffee" materializes through brief moments of relaxation and reflection before the start of the day. The selection of tableware for the morning ritual includes a coffee cup and saucer made by Compagnia Italiana del Cristallo, decorated with the new Nastri pattern in elegant black with gold edging. The limited edition Fine Bone China cup and saucer features the black Nastri pattern, golden border and a special dedication by Paolo Stella in the center of the saucer, "To those who listen with the heart," signed by a star, making the set even more extraordinary.

2. Marni

In its Holiday Collection, Marni presented accessories that add a quirky touch to the winter festivities-it is no coincidence that this campaign was shot during the warm season. Highlights include the Triangle Prisma bags, inspired by origami construction, with a puffy, soft-touch texture. The festive handbag collection includes elegant smooth leather models featuring curvy lines and retro-inspired brass details, along with a new MARNI logo written in cursive. The collection's bijoux add a touch of sparkle to the winter wardrobe with rhinestone-studded necklaces and bracelets and woven hoop earrings, and then more gloves, balaclavas with ears and knitted lobster-shaped scarves. Finally, the collection is rounded out with college-themed brooches, red and yellow felt keychains with lobster detail, long-haired mules and leather Fussbett Sabots covered entirely in rhinestones, adding a touch of glamour and playful elegance to cold festive days.

3. Bally

When it comes to snow and Christmas you have to turn to the specialists. And, founded in Switzerland in 1851, Bally is a brand that was born and bred amidst mountain lodges, alpine peaks, icy slopes and Christmas wreaths. The brand's winter capsule explores the timeless charm of the Swiss landscape, reinterpreting the extensive alpine wardrobe with a contemporary twist and using colors such as mauve or raspberry that evoke vintage atmospheres and inspired by renowned ski destinations such as St. Moritz and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The collection for women features wool and cashmere sweaters with cable-knit work, paired with vintage ski pants and boots with Bally's iconic rubber curling sole, creating the ideal outfit for après-ski or for tackling the urban cold. For men, a refined ultramarine blue down jacket with a Bally pattern and sweaters with graphics of alpine scenery define a capsule that celebrates the incredible Swiss scenery. The collection also includes neoprene weekenders and fanny packs with leather trim, ski goggles with the Bally logo, wool beanies, and technical accessories perfect for both the highlands and the city. A capsule that invites you to compose creative outfits suitable for both the mountains and urban winter life.

4. Etro

Etro's "Gifts of Joy" collection was presented through a campaign with a strong 1970s vibe, mixing whimsical patterns and a maximalist aesthetic that echoes the brand's colorful and cosmopolitan aesthetic. Leather accessories are the centerpiece of the collection, decorated with the traditional paisley and Pegasus logo. There are the new Saturno and Essential Folder bags decorated with multicolored studs. The ready-to-wear capsule plays with the elegance of the new tuxedo, ethereal silks, tartan patterns, and the volumes of knits worn on evening gowns-all adorned with medallion and jacquard designs with geometric decompositions. In addition, this campaign marked the debut of the brand's new eyewear collection, already seen on the runway, and the children's collection. As Etro is a brand that also focuses on the home, the range also includes Oud and Vetiver home fragrance diffusers and the Etro panettone created in collaboration with Aimo and Nadia of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Il Luogo Aimo e Nadia, presented in a special metal box decorated with the Etro design in shades of blue and gold. In short, a complete package.

5. Miu Miu

That of Miu Miu and the "Private Wishes" campaign is truly a dreamy Christmas: Emma Corrin, dressed in cream and silver colors, languishing in an abstract, almost metaphysical upper-class home that cannot help but remind one of Romy Schneider from Luchino Visconti's Il Lavoro. And while the cream tones that reign unquestioned and Corrin's vaguely bored air nicely convey the opulence and coziness of the holiday season, it is Miu Miu's Holiday Selection of products that makes one dream. In fact, without having created an actual capsule, the brand has unveiled its collaborations with Marshall and Polaroid this year, produced along with lifestyle accessories such as water bottles, woven wool hot water bags, cashmere and shearling slippers, pillows, and cream-colored blankets. A true winter wonderland.