Blog, Consultancy, Shop
No gold chain, no dark chest hair, no grease, and no high-rolling swagger on this fashion fellow who omitted a shirt, opting for simply a sport coat. This super light cotton sport coat is really a brilliant idea for summer, in which I am never comfortable in even the thinnest linen suit without lining. I fear the look would seem different – maybe even a tad sleazy – on me.
No one would mistake her for a provincial, but did we need further comfirmation that Parisian girls are born with style? Visiting Beijing for the umpteenth time, staying in the St. Regis, Roxanne could still look good wearing this outfit in her twenties, thirties or beyond. Most women never reach this in a lifetime, getting derailed by a whole host of ugly trends like distressed jeans and studded belts. Even at ten, she has the understated charm and ability to meaningfuly accessorize for which the ladies of her city are known.
Seemlessly incorporating Chinese style elements, Roxanne bought her shoes at Qianmen.
A retired teacher, last here in Mao jacket, is now in fetching summer garb. He lives in a hutong off Nanluoguxiang.
Photo: Weina Zhao
A London Girl on an internship here in Beijing.
On my second trip to No. 46, I noticed a spacious new coffee shop just to the left of the main gate. Cola is proprieter of just opened Charity Share (益飨), which specializes in fair trade coffee and includes a fashion boutique in its loft.
She says Charity Share is the first bar or coffee shop in China to make promoting the public good its main theme. Her coffee shop is also the first in Beijing to receive a Certification Mark from the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International. A portion of all profits will go to charities and the high-ceiled, roomy space will host numerous NGO fundraising events, auctions, etc.
Initially, she expects foreigners will be the main clients as they are both more picky about the quality of coffee and familiar with the concept of free trade products. Amusingly, she says the hard seats are another reason why foreigners will be more attracted to Charity Share than Chinese, who prefer softer seating.
Originally from Xinjiang, Cola came to Beijing in 1999 and studied Chinese at Beijing Normal University. In 2006, she received her Master’s in marketing from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She quit her media job in May to focus all of her energy on the new coffee shop. Her recent interest in being more civic-minded has improved her mindset a great deal. She is now more able to be contented with her situation and less aggressive. Interestingly, one cup of coffee a day is her maximum. Any more and her heart beats too fast.
Here, outside our local empire of contrasts Opposite House, with stripes on his stripes, this young man was booted for the rain that had been sporadically falling all day. At this über hip Kengo Kuma-designed boutique hotel, and in its environs, anything might happen – even the complete opposite of what you expected.
Marching to their own beat, these two stood out from the huge mass of style-mastering hipsters in 798. From a Cantonese speaking region they have been living and working in bj for some time.
Photo: Weina Zhao
Just having finished university, this young lady from Sichuan is eager to make it big in the center of the empire.
This is rather interesting given that this actor (of the stage, I believe) is actually form Beijing. I don’t know that I have ever glimsed someone as fashionable as with this particular color.
Love this, mainly because they seem like a chic version of the notorious nylon pop socks, favored by so many in this city – though the wearers seem to become older and older as the youth become generally hipper. The hated skin-colored pop socks are also often paired with strappy footwear, typically of the plastic variety.
They were sighted on this editor (I am not allowed to mention the names and publications of others in the magazine business) at the opening party for Beijing’s first Dita shop at Huamao. Most of the glasses on sale are made in Japan as part of collaboration between Dita and the venerable brand Masunaga. Read more on Dita at High Snobiety.
These two graphic/image design students stepped directly from the 80s, but in completely different styles.
Photo: Weina Zhao
I’ve noticed a tendency among Beijingers to lament the passing of clear difference in appearance between the sexes. The refrain is that “these days everything is so confused”. A couple years ago, the youth did not yet have this predilection toward androgyny. Blame certain popstars. Of course, a few decades ago, there wasn’t much trace of the feminine along the gray, Mao-suited, streets of Beijing.
A “cat-head” would likely be a crafty or stealthy person.
At first glance fairly uneventful though, definitely cool, hipsters, the shoes on both are nice. He didn’t want to show his face, let alone mention his name.
Photo: Weina Zhao
Stevie is a photographer for P1.cn, a major social networking site with a major street fashion component. He was nice enough to lend me his P1 card at their last event so that I could get a complimentary lychee martini.
Here’s Jeffrey Ying again – this time showing his appreciation for some of China’s most famous brands. I’m sure most of you know that it is no accident that he is wearing a custom Mao Suit and smoking Chung Hwa, the favorite cigarette brand of the Chairman. Jeffrey also only smokes this premium, but extremely heavy, brand. Mao was apparently not a particularly big drinker and Zhou Enlai was known for being able to put down more shots than his boss.
