Guangzhou is not a “province” but the capital city of Guangdong Province. The Xiguan Culture (西关文化) once had its prosperity but now is losing it gradually. However, many social groups, individuals and media are trying hard to protect it. Hope someday you can come around and enjoy it.

So we should adjust our mind on this issue. What I emphasize most is that the authorities should spare more time and efforts, and money, to support our local products, to help the local arts flourish. I don’t mean we should avoid the foreign products. I’ve said that they Do own something worthy to learn from. Yet while drawing experience from them, we should also figure out which one should enjoy the priority to be promoted. Such concept of combination is the final way out. Maybe it is similar to your point, it “needs to be considered by AA as it crafts its marketing strategy for this country”. It also needs to be considered by our authorities.

Still, your reaction needs to be considered by American Apparel as it crafts its marketing strategy for this country. The appeal of “made in the USA” might not be quite as great as it might think. The fact that even a piece like mine met with a slightly patriotic response illustrates this issue. China produces casual clothing very well. It could easily produce everything that American Apparel produces. The appeal of American Apparel is more the ethical business approach and the sexy marketing. I think the former could have definite appeal if customers are properly educated and the message is presented in an entirely unpolitical and unpatronizing manner. For the latter, they will have to think carefully. I have some ideas.

Actually i’m not the one who is quite keen on so-called American-made / European-made brands, although they DO own something that is worthy to learn from. My point is, what we Chinese should do is to develop our own brand in our own style. I once visited the Graduation Exhibition of the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts last summer and worked as volunteer in the 2007 Get-It-Louder exhibition (yet they are not all about clothes fashion design). I can see the Chinese have our own concept of design and their works, full of creativeness, are by no means worse than the imported products. Why are the Chinese authorities blind to all these???…

One can argue about that.

Cannot wait to compare with the Beijinger column.