Blog, Consultancy, Shop
Sanlitun has been Beijing’s main nightlife district for nearly as long as their has been nightlife in post-opening China. Over the years, the area has become more and more gentrified and sanitized. Sanlitun Village, Beijing’s first outdoor mall, with a huge number of shops ranging from Uniqlo to Reiss. The trendiest boutique hotel in the city, the Opposite House is also here. Sanlitun, the CBD, embassy quarter, and residences of most foreigners are in vast Chaoyang District.
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 London Girl on an internship here in Beijing.
Getting into the local culture is a very cute girl visiting Beijing from Russia. Her parents should get her ballet flats and also iron her qipao.
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
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.
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.
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.
A direct descendant of Tang Dynasty General Cheng Yaojin (程咬金), Liaoning-born Nina (程宛å®) immigrated to the US at age four and she grew up in the region of New York. Now she lives in Williamsburg, though she frequently visits China. After majoring in English in university, she was an investment banker until that career became a bit less stylish. Her major project currently is a men’s accessories brand, Oriens & Grey. She describes the best menswear as of a higher quality level than anything for women and generally of more classic design. Nina asked Li Bosheng (æŽåšç”Ÿ) a famous Beijing-based jade worker to craft the money clips, tie bars, cuff links and other precious goodies of Oriens and Grey.
These two are assistants at SOHO New Town, one of the older SOHOs, for International Star Entertainment Group, a fashion photography company with offices in Beijing and Hong Kong.
An instructor at Central Saint Martins College, London, Kevin Tallon now designs for a very fashion-forward sportswear label with Italian roots, now here in China. He is spearheading efforts to make this brand the most stylish one in its category for the Chinese market. The first collection will be in stores this fall.
He makes the long flight out to Beijing almost every month, so he is now considering whether it might not be better to settle his two daughters and wife here in Beijing. It would be a fabulous chance for them learn the most important language of the 21st Century and experience its most important economy. He’s just a little bit worried about the pollution here.
Kevin, who also appeared last year on Stylites, just came out with a book on fashion trends among Chinese youth that relies heavily on my photos. The book, Fashion Tribes: China, is now available on Amazon, and looks in depth at the rapidly changing fashion landscape here.
Mickey is a senior fashion editor at the Chinese edition of a well-known magazine that is part of a still better-known American publishing group. I met her at the Hermès fall trunk show held at the Presidential Suite of The Opposite House. Much of the collection was aviation inspired.
