Posts filed under 'Parties'
Comme des Garçons had a somewhat odd photography exhibit at the I.T. Gallery. There were numerous fashionistas whose photos I could have taken, but my flash was being uncooperative again and there was also much distracting champagne. Edie Bao is a reporter for Milk Magazine, and she did name herself after the beauty of Warhol’s Factory. Like all the other galleries at 798, I.T. is in a former factory. Was Warhol’s Factory ever a real factory or was it just a large studio?
Rather appropriately, Charlie Kan is wearing a Comme des Garçons hat. He is in charge of a fashion PR company that is going to be especially busy in the run-up to the Olympics.
July 17th, 2008
His photographs make Beijing cranes seem tranquil and connected to China’s heritage of ink painting. His motion pictures capture the trauma and apparent injustice of interrogations. Zhao Liang, an artist whose style projects beyond his masterpieces, also likes to give Beijingers a fun night out with the outdoor concerts he organizes at the Three Shadows Art Centre.
June 13th, 2008
Huge bashes aren’t really my thing, but I decided to explore the possibility of recording the styles of party-goers in Beijing this New Year’s Eve. I found that there may be long-term potential for this type of street style photography, but a few challenges need to be surmounted first, one of which is locating the really stylish people in a dark environment. That should be no problem, and I will probably continue to do this in the future. New photography gear is needed to improve the quality of the photos though, so please accept my apologies this time.
The Acupuncture Records “Genesis 2008″ New Year’s Eve Party was the best place to kick off the New Year. They had some of the top electronic music Beijing has seen yet and the venue was an incredible Bauhaus-style 4000 square meter factory, now called the Originality Industry Garden. This was in Beijing’s famous 798 art district. I would like to thank Ms. Miao Wang, the founder and key organizer of the Acupuncture events, and Andrew McCallum for inviting me. Miao is a remarkable young lady, and I hope to feature a profile of her on Stylites very soon. Check out the myspace of Acupuncture when you have time.
I ran into Zheng Chenggong, the submarine designer. He had some new plans, which I think we should all be concerned about.
His constant companion, Jessalu, the herbal homeopathy expert, was there too. She has dug up some new remedies that aid quiet meditation in crowded places.
Most attendees of the party were not foreigners. I think the emphasis for most people was on comfort and staying warm (there wasn’t too much hear in the factory) rather than making a style statement.
This young lady is from Brazil. After realizing that the inside was just too crowded, I pretty much settled on a white wall near the entrance.
Traditional Chinese dress made an appearance with this short Qipao.
Most people were very casual at this event, but this seemed very appropriate for New Year’s Eve.
Maybe she didn’t want to pose.
The fellow on the right just arrived from South Africa. He said I have to go soon. I would love to, just to taste the wines. He seems to have already encountered a kindred spirit here.
The gentleman with the “?” on his hat, my now good friend Daniel, appeared on www.stylites.net before. I invited him and to Acupuncture and he brought his friends to rock the night away. Daniel is a designer for Kapa, a Chinese sportswear brand.
This fellow was clearly enjoying himself. I seemed to see him no matter where I went that night.
January 3rd, 2008
From Chengdu, T. P. is an interpreter, fluent in English, Spanish, French and Mandarin. He was here to visit Daniel, a sportswear designer I photographed on another day.
The leather vest adds a somewhat Bavarian flavor to the ensemble. I don’t know that I’ve seen such a vest in Beijing. He seems ready for hiking in the alps, but the boots in jeans look also seems very appropriate for harsh climate of Beijing.
December 17th, 2007
Michelle is a fitting representative for Beijing’s most luxurious house of revitalization, Zen Spa (www.zenspa.com.cn), which is in a beautifully modernized Chinese style courtyard. Rose petal baths and masseuses from Thailand stood out.
December 14th, 2007
Valery - I seemed to have misplaced his business card - runs a gallery nearby Dawang Road. It specializes in art by Europeans. I hope to make it out there some time. He is French himself. His scarf is dyed fur, but I’m not sure from which animal.
Wu Xiangdong is a model and designer - the coat is his own creation. He is also “artistic inspector” for www.bjfsgh.cn.
This trend is far bigger than dhoti pants. Every other fashionable man I see seems to have the jeans tucked into shortish boots thing going this winter. Somehow, I feel that the look must seem edgier in the US. There “pretentious” would be on the lips of every conservative, Brooks Brothersite. Traditionally, people in the States have always worried about appearing pretentious.
December 14th, 2007
Lee Spears from Bloomberg showed up at the party. One doesn’t see English bench-made shoes and fully-canvassed suits much in Beijing, either on foreigners or locals. It is easy to forget about the existence of handmade articles and the sartorial traditions of the West.
One problem that remains here is the absence of quality handmade goods. Some people are surprised to hear this, considering labor is so cheap. Since I’ve never really been in the apparel industry I don’t understand all of the dynamics here, but I’ve identified three major causes, or perhaps “features” of this general situation.
First, goods produced for export are much higher quality than those for the domestic market. A whole range of well-known economic reasons cause this, particularly taxation policies and levels of domestic demand, but I prefer to focus on a cultural cause. Asian countries care about face. They want to make sure that what they send abroad to represent their country maintains that face. It’s ironic that Chinese goods are facing such scrutiny in the States when in fact what they export is very good, especially in comparison to what is available on the domestic market. I actually believe all of the Chinese government’s claims that they do maintain high quality and safety standards for the exports. The recent trouble was just the result of the media deciding to focus on the issue at a time of sensitivity related to the trade deficit. Japan and Korea are the same way. They take the quality of their exports extremely seriously and it is related to face, or at least that’s what people I know here in the government say.
Second, there is little domestic demand for high quality suits, shoes and other goods. Suits and cap toes aren’t really part of the tradition here, so you can forgive Chinese fashionistas for seeking inspiration elsewhere, such as Japan and Korea. For young people, who drive consumption of fashion here to a greater extent than they do in mature economies, hip-hop, skateboarding and other more casual styles that seem to express individuality are preferred to the Saville Row style that is undeniably tied to work and the office and sartorial rules. English is in though. Like in Japan, English mods are a major source of inspiration, and this style is related to the Saville Row tradition, though the inspiration was more directly Italian tailoring. More on local interpretations of mod in the future. There are several shops opening which purport to deliver the mod aesthetic. Older people who would prefer the formal style of Saville Row came onto the consumption scene a bit late.
Third, there has to be some mention of economic causes. China’s economy is geared toward economies of scale and raw material prices are high. Things work well here if they are produced in vast quantities with relatively cheap raw materials. Outside of cashmere and silk, the raw material for most high-end garments has to be imported, and faces taxes.
Back to Lee. The grandpa-esque v-neck is neutralized by the trendy bag. But who am I to jeer at v-necks, with my ubiquitous cardigan?
December 13th, 2007
Here are some of the highlight looks from the LifeStyle magazine party last night:
I didn’t really have a chance to get everyone’s details, but she is a student at the University of International Business and Economics. Simple and elegant styles like hers rare among girls her age here in Beijing.
This is her friend, also from the same university. Her look is a bit more typical but I was impressed by the silk bow and her stature.
December 13th, 2007
