From Australia, Tana has been in Beijing over ten years. She started what was probably the first vintage shop in Beijing on Yandai Xiejie, near Houhai. The items she sold were brought in from abroad and included Levi’s and other such items. The shop has not been open for several years, but vintage clothing has become much more popular here lately.
Artist Andy Mo works in a Spanish art gallery but is something of an Anglophile (check his website). Painting since he was a young boy, he graduated from Hangzhou’s China Academy of Art in 2007. He has now been in Beijing for two years and now works in a 798 gallery called Iberia Center for Contemporary Art. A major hobby for Andy is horseback riding, which he does regularly outside of Beijing. His favorite types of horses are the Spanish “warm-blood horse” and pure breeds from England. Though he hasn’t made it to London, but he really likes the spirit and style of the English capital, though unlike many Beijingers it is not because of punk or rock music.
Andy got this leather bag from a friend by trading for a painting. 这个皮包是拿画和朋å‹äº¤æ¢çš„.
He attended an event called “I love arts London” but later removed the word “arts” from the pin. å‚åŠ ä¸€ä¸ªä¼¦æ•¦è‰ºæœ¯å¦é™¢çš„年对派对他们å°çš„是” I LOVE ARTS LONDON” 然åŽä»–把ARTS刮掉了.
This young designer from London, here for a few months, was one of the guests. Sorry for the time lag in my posts. My time has been surprisingly limited recently.
One problem with the LV handbag – as ubiquitous a part of the Chinese urban landscape as Sichuan Restaurants and taxicabs – is how it overshadows the rest of any outfit. Attention is drawn immediately to the handbag rather than to anything else the person is doing fashion-wise. Of course that is the goal. The person wants to be able to announce every time they use the bag – even when it is paired with clothes of some lesser brand – that they are in the elite.
Well, we all know that yelling “I am rich” is not the behavior of people secure in their economic or social standing. There must be more understated ways of showing one’s status and more tasteful ways of sporting the LV print.
I find the notion of LV print trousers very convincing. The picture is not good, as it was already dark, but note the difference in direction of the print on the two legs – a creative touch.
What an elegant way to transport objects! I wonder which social class these guys are from. Of course there are many other – not necessarily difficult to attain – ways of projecting refinement: a vintage vehicle, an Oldsmobile, and the car seat car covers. I have been trying to find cotton fabric to make a dress shirt in this classic print.
As mentioned, Li Xiaoyan won the gold prize for the best spring/summer collection at China Fashion Week 2009. She gave me the scarf after the photo, which was taken in her studio. Born in Taipei, Miss Li arrived on the Mainland in 1994. She has designed for a whole range of labels before her current one, Fangfang, and the focus is on 100% cotton and natural colors.
Sorry for the lag time that sometimes occurs between the photos being taken and their appearing here. Photos taken for my column in Modern Weekly must first appear in print.
Here is a fellow from Super VC, again enjoying champagne. Click here for their blog, where you can sample some of their music.
This event was to celebrate the visit to Beijing of Humberto Campana of the Campana brothers. He is here to promote his recent cooperative venture with Lacoste (more pictures of the shirts here). Much more about this soon.
I had been meaning to put this one up for a while. Li Mengxia (æŽåŸå¤) is one of the most well-known and admired figures on the Beijing magazine publishing scene. He has worked in numerous capacities as a creative director, art director, and editor. I don’t have time for fact checking right now, so I won’t mention each of his various positions. He has been associated with Modern Media (çŽ°ä»£ä¼ æ’) for quite a few years. One of his position was heading up the City Life section of Modern Weekly (《周末画报》城市版), to which I contribute a weekly column based on this blog.
Quite an interesting detail on his wool tie, which was purchased at Lane Crawford. The peacock feather type ornament on his lapel was what all VIPs received at the event that night.
This fashion design student is pairing green and red, which was formerly considered an unacceptable combination in China. She says that she doesn’t care about those old rules. Actually, I think it might even be bad for men to wear green at all.
Marie-Alice Legarda has been working as a stylist in Beijing for three years, but she doesn’t feel that there is a huge amount of style here though people are clearly into fashion. Perhaps she has spent too much time in the City of Light, and every other place seems dim in comparison. As a shopping expert, she recommends that people who travel abroad do their shopping there. I would agree, with the exception of tailoring, since there is such a huge mark-up on quality products here. When it comes to restaurants and bars, Beijing is more blessed, in her opinion. Among her favorites are Maison Boulud, Hatsune, Flames at the Hilton Wangfujing. She also recommends Tea Time at the Ritz Carlton Central Place.
Never before have I taken a photo on Liuyin Street (柳è«è¡—), right around the corner from my home. This, perhaps Beijing’s most attractive street in what was formerly the most noble section of the city, is usually filled with homely tourists, rickshaw drivers, and urban peasants. Fortunately these elements clear out after nightfall and during snowstorms. In times like these, there is no more romantic place for a stroll. It will be painful not to be able to live near it after the area becomes completely gentrified – sure to happen in less than a decade. I am, as of yet, not part of the gentry.
Here is Keeven, a fashion designer from Shanghai. His work has shown at fashion week there. He is with the group Fashion Design Organization. Sorry, still putting up pictures from China Fashion Week. After spending so much time seeing shows, my work has become rather backed up and I haven’t had a chance to go out shooting.
Armor for a modern urban knight? He designed it himself as he did all of his other garments.
Another China Fashion Week find that is probably weaves together quite a few threads, subcultures, and themes. Despite her dimensions, she was there to watch the shows, not participate in them.
