by stylites_admin -

Gigi Hadid for President

“Gigi Hadid for President” will, with luck, be plastered across the land not long after the larger-than-life model and super influencer turns 35. Sadly the arabesque beauty (22) is too young run in 2020 against Trump, a figure not altogether dissimilar to herself. Not showing up to her own party at the Victoria’s Event in Shanghai is sexy. I’m with her. There’s more here, but she was denied a visa, seemingly due to some good old-fashioned squinty eyes stuff. A singer named Kate Perry also wasn’t allowed in due to some unfortunate antics in Taiwan.

The photo below is delightful. What an inclusive message! Zoroastrians are left out as usual and are Mormons really Christians? They should have been mentioned, but I like the joy-filled, instagram-worthy smile.

I’ve enjoyed all the controversy around the Victoria’s Secret thing here in Shanghai (Bloomberg has more). It could have been just a slightly tacky commercial event for mass consumption from a tired brand hawking unmemorable lingerie in a market where the size of need is obviously questionable. Princess Gigi made it something I care about. One has to appreciate her blend of hypocrisy and unearned status, though I’m not sure this is the type of hereditary elite I was hoping would define our new era of yawning inequality.

She’s not just another pretty face who made it through boring old good looks and hard work, but rather this icon of our times is famous for being related to people who are famous for being famous. We should be yelling “Gigi Hadid for President!” at the next rally. As for Victoria’s Secret, serious minds will finally notice it – this wasn’t just another party with free champagne and an unmemorable fashion show. It’s appropriate that a brand bringing decadent, overly sexualized, products within reach for the varletry would be helping Western civilization go out with a splash. It’s almost as if they have the same PR Director in Asia as Trump and it’s a coordinated strategy.

I wasn’t invited to the party, but at least I can claim to have been in the same city at this seminal moment. I was probably having a slightly botched cocktail at the time and maybe even thinking vacuous thoughts to match the tenor of the botched event itself. Actually turning up tends to cloud objectivity and, from my laptop, I can see the real takeaway is “Gigi Hadid for President”!

by stylites_admin -

Pawnstar in City Weekend, Time Out, SmartShanghai and CCTV


Photos by Brandon McGhee

Pawnstar is very happy to have received a decent amount of coverage for our new shop on Fuxing and Fenyang roads.  The photos here were taken by photographer Brandon McGhee and featured on SmartShanghai, one of the leading sites that caters to expats here.

Sarah Boorboor wrote the piece in SmartShanghai and included this delightful quote by me:

“…a rising middle class, who not only have disposable income, but have traveled and want to try new things. There’s also a growing desire for unique product, stuff that other people can’t get. In addition to changes in Shanghai, Pawnstar’s online platforms are able to reach 3rd and 4th tier cities, where access to brand clothes at consignment prices is a rarity. And there’s always the desire for designer goods at a discounted price.”

by stylites_admin -

Pawnstar’s at the Fenyang/Fuxing Intersection

Please note that Pawnstar has moved to a new location, basically write next to Union Trading Company, the well-known cocktail bar.  Our address is Fenyang Road 64, No. 4, but we are actually on Fuxing Middle Road, just a few doors West of the intersection with Fenyang.

Number: 15618331415
中文地址：上海市徐汇区汾阳路64弄4号

by stylites_admin -

Pawnstar’s Shanghai Flagship Store

Pawnstar‘s Shanghai flagship store will be at the intersection of Fenyang and Fuxing Middle Roads in the heart of the French Concession. We are right next to Union Trading Company, the rather popular bar. This is right down the street from our current location in the Clement Apartments, but this is a much larger store and it is street-side rather than being inside of a compound.  Above and below are photos of the spiral staircase that leads from the first floor up to the fourth. The total size is going to be about 250 square meters. We will have all four floors of this 1930s row house that has been rather thoroughly modernized.

Right now I’m too busy planning the move-in process to write more about this.  I will keep you updated here though.

The address of the new store is 64 Fenyang Road, number 4, but the doorway is actually on Fuxing Road.  In Chinese, it is 徐汇区汾阳路64弄4号.