The Chinese Zodiac is a repeating twelve-year cycle of animal signs, each with a set of ascribed attributes and qualities, representing what can be expected in the year to follow. At the turn of the 2022 lunar new year, the tiger takes head place, the largest of all the big cats, and representative of ferocity, bravery and intelligence, three very welcomed qualities to start a fresh year given the unprecedented nature of the previous two.

Despite its size and ferocity however, the tiger is currently one of the species in the greatest danger of extinction in the world today. Its natural habitats are being destroyed at an alarming rate, forcing tigers to venture into dangerous and human inhabited spaces in the search of food and water; it has never been more urgent to call attention to the plight of this majestic beast.

‘Action in the Year of the Tiger’ is a pledge from Prada to pay homage to the animal and its beauty, and also to raise global awareness for the exigency of the protection of the species; it is a multi-layered narrative that devolves around these missions.

The core of the campaign starts with a transformation: the Prada logo. Using classical Chinese techniques it becomes a powerful icon based the tiger’s characteristic attributes.

Prada is also inviting all students from art schools around the world to participate in a competition, producing their own personal interpretation of the tiger. The brief is minimal, giving artists a free reign to express themselves however they like, via their chosen medium, painting, design or sculpture. The work is to be judged by a jury comprising artists Liu Ye, Lu Yang and Goshka Macuga, and will be selected for a secret special project that will take place throughout 2022.

The group is also putting its money where its mouth is, by making a donation to ‘’Walking with Tiger and Leopard’’ Programme of China Green Foundation, contributing to the conservation of endangered Amur tiger. The programme shares information of wildlife and biodiversity with the public by high-tech monitoring methods, and improves the awareness of tiger and leopard conservation by environmental education in order to create an “Eden of Big Cats” allowing tigers to live in harmony with humans.

Discover the campaign images below featuring actor and singer Li Yifeng – Best Supporting Actor at the 33th Hundred Flowers Awards – and actress Chun Xia, who won a Hong Kong Film Award for her performance in the film ‘Port of Call’

To discover more and enter the competition visit prada.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: Liu Song

VIDEO: Shi Kangning

TALENTS: Chun Xia, Li Yifeng

CREATIVE DIRECTION: Ferdinando Verderi