Sniped Shanghai Street Shots: Top 9 of '09

I've had three obstacles thus far in putting together a Top 9 of '09 list like this (I kind of did it):

1 - I've only been in China for 12 weeks and thus don't have that many great pictures to choose from.
2 - I've literally been sniping shots (stealing you could say perhaps) of people on the streets because no one will ever pose when I ask them... they are highly suspicious of us foreign folk, which has made it difficult to get perfectly posed pictures.
3 - I'm usually trying to take pictures as inconspicuously as possible while walking on the street, riding the bus, in a cab, or on my roommate's scooter. So please, if the pictures are off-centered or blurry, don't judge me... the pictures are ranked by considering both the subject's style/stance and the quality of the photo.

...So I've finally edited it down to the Top 9, but this post might spoil some later posts because the pictures are released before they are really contextualized. But it's the New Year soon, so there are many, many new pictures to be sniped of otherwise unwilling subjects, but just to forewarn, you will see some of these pictures again.

Honorable Mention - She would have made it into the Top 9, but I spotted a Burberry scarf in her outfit unfortunately. But I know that it's at least real because it's not conspicuously the central piece of her look. Rather, it's blended as a part of a beautiful composition, and I have to give her props for making the world's single most offensive piece of clothing almost bearable:

Number 9 - This guy really isn't Number 9... I just thought I should start off the list with a strong and interesting look to entice you to read further, and this guy has style to the max. His layers are great, the colors are beautiful, and the composition is perfectly and quirkily accented by the silly shape and color of the hat:



Number 8 - Jean jackets are back! Or rather, they never cycled out of the Chinese fashion system. We are still a couple of decades behind here, so I could understand one or two jean jackets here or there. But there are MANY, and they are EVERYWHERE (as I'll blog about later). What's worse is that jean jackets are inevitably paired with, how creative!, jeans. But he looks like a working boy, as he's obviously a bit tired, so his jean suit is probably uber functional:


Number 7 - Here's a construction worker with a loosely tailored and semi-disheveled look that I thought was super cool. If you were working as a construction worker, wouldn't you want to still achieve some amount of individuality from the billions and billions of other construction workers in China?? I've never seen an anyone in such a profession in China so interestingly dressed, but the proportions, colors, cuts, and styling are all there. Appropriate, but still exceptional:

Number 6 - I love the conspicuousness of this woman's PJ set... I never knew a pink to pop like that, and what makes this particular ensemble even more special are the heeled boots and cell phone she's sporting around with her stroller:

Number 5 - So poised, yet not posed... this young gentleman has interesting layers and proportions, as well as nicely composed colors.

Number 4 - I always find people on the street wearing super interesting uniforms... an interesting factoid when you consider the country's recent sartorial history. Anyway, this maiden clad in all white gets the Number 4 spot for her cute haircut and incredulous stare:

Number 3 - This little girl is ColorBlocking my brains out! She deserves Number 3 all to herself for how cool she looks (and the pose I got was great!), but I'm adding another little girl's picture right below just for some contrast... I bet the ColorBlocker didn't dress herself that way, but at least someone in her family had the decency to not dress the little girl in a fake Burberry coat at the tender age of 5:


Number 2 - This old guy has the most endearing smile, and I somehow managed to capture it... and this close up to him too! The iPhone has revolutionized picture/video-taking, because I would never have been able to have gotten this close to someone and sniped this kind of a shot with a regular camera. Anyway, I love his sweater pattern and color combination on top, and he's dressed appropriately for his age. His personality though definitely is what makes the picture Number 2:

Number 1 - She's the coolest f'in lady I've seen in China. I ran across the street and almost died to get this photo, but it was well worth it. She's super unique and quirky by Chinese standards definitely, but she's just chillin' and doing her own thing with that bright blue bow tie. I think she was as intrigued by me as I was by her, which allowed me to snipe this great shot and expression:

Imagine the Funniest/Coolest/Best Thing You Could Possibly Wish to See in China...

and then watch it in this video. This occurred at 9 a.m.:



I absolutely LOVE this video for a number of reasons:

1 - You NEVER see people breakdancing in China in public, especially not old people. Thus when context is considered, he's super unique and not afraid to be different... stylish, I dare say (which I don't say often).
2 - His trench, hat, shoes, gloves, and sunglasses are phenomenal, but when he takes off his trench at the end he reveals an even more beautiful brown suit and a burnt orange sweater underneath.
3 - The video demonstrates an interesting point that Lu Kun once told me. He said "People stare in China because we learn through our eyes. We watch, and we learn"... there's one guy at about :35 attempting a similar mode of dance as our main man, but it's a little confused (but nevertheless endearing... he's trying to learn!).

Enjoy this video as a special holiday gift from my blog to you... And look for another special post on New Year's Eve! For those of you stateside, it will be posted December 30th at 11 a.m. EST.

Rain and Cold as Catalysts for Color?!

It's officially winter in Shanghai, but who would have guessed that the city would become punctuated with such saturated hues during these cold months??

Outerwear and other forms of protective gear have given Shanghai's normally dreary and dull sartorial landscape a much needed relief... every color of every composition is usually so muted (unless someone is going for a bling-bling style... more on that in the future for sure) that the onlooker is overwhelmed by just how boring monotony can be.

However, intense colors can definitely change the atmosphere, and here are a few folks that have brightened up my otherwise dreary days. Enjoy the colors!:

Bund18's 5th Year Anniversary Fashion Show

Wow, I just realized how far behind I am in life... this post should have happened a long time ago, as this fashion show was held November 18th in order to commemorate Bund18's 5th Year Anniversary. However, I still think this fashion show was interesting because it showcased 6 of the best Chinese designers I can think of (there are obviously a few other legit designers that didn't show at this fashion show, but not many...)

The first two pictures come from a very new Chinese American designer, Angela Gao (www.angelagao.com). Her collection is pretty timeless, and it is now selling in YOUNIK on a made-to-order basis. All of the other designers also sell at Bund18's boutique YOUNIK and are based strictly in China, as well as some other notable designers like Mary Ching and Qiong Er. Enjoy the pictures!

Angela Gao:


Zhang Hao (aka Stephane Cheung):

Pari Chen:

Coko Wan:

Jane Zhu:

and of course, Vunderkind Uma Wang:

Homogenizing Forms 1: Burberry Burberry Everywhere!

I'm ignoring the winter solstice and declaring that today, it is officially winter in Shanghai (it's a brisk high of 59, and low of 52 today).

My fellow Shanghai-ers seem to agree that winter has arrived, as people all around have broken out their winter gear. Unfortunately for me and anyone else who has a general appreciation for aesthetics, the most popular winter product in Shanghai is anything with Burberry's trademark plaid unabashedly slapped on favorite basics. Behold here: the Burberry scarf, the bane of my existence and China's most homogenizing form:

There were many many pictures of Burberry scarves I COULD have posted, but the above picture was less offensive than a full-frontal shot.

But in case if you're looking for a full-frontal shot for proof of this terrible trend, here you go:

It is pretty obvious that I took all of these shots without people knowing/noticing (creepy, I know, but no one would ever let me stop them on the street, make them pose, and sketchily take a picture of him/her on my iPhone... that's just awkward), but I think this guy noticed. Regardless of if he did or didn't, the above is one of my finest shots to date. Enjoy this scandalous display of an obviously fake Burberry scarf.

And unfortunately, the products on which the Burberry plaid is printed in China just keep getting bigger. This girl's skirt would actually be kind of cute if it wasn't so ugly and offensive:

And last but definitely not least is this GINORMOUS coat... I don't even know what to say about this:

Barf

Perhaps the Lamest Thing I've Ever Seen

But before we get into the post: it's a new month, so I'm making an early resolution to post more... I guarantee at least 5 this month, so check back!

Anyway, I was on my way into Plaza 66 a few weeks ago with my friend from high school who was visiting me for the weekend (Plaza 66 is definitely a must-see for tourists) when I saw something so ridiculous I had to have a picture as my witness:



I've never seen anyone in China get in a line to do anything before, but here they are! They really are Chinese people, and they really are forming quite an orderly line outside of Louis Vuitton to buy the same bag everyone else already has.

But I guess it's all about hype, and Louis Vuitton has that down pat... And neighboring store Chanel soon (as one would expect) copied:



Although Chanel didn't have any people in line, I'm sure they did within a few minutes... but I had to jet because I snapped this picture on my way out (I got some baddddd looks from the bouncer... that's why the picture is so blurry).

But how long can these two brands really fool people into thinking that they are exclusive? Right now these brands are somewhat exclusive I guess because of economic constraints on most individuals, but once China increases it's GDP/capita to the level of the US or Japan, what will consumption look like? Can the process of shifting the society away from fashion consumption to style consumption be expedited in any way?

Installment 1: Gold Givenchy Couture

No really people, this is couture. I wish people would stop using the word so indiscriminately.

I've been taking a bit of a break for the holidays (although Thanksgiving is not really the same in China I've found out recently), but I can assure you that I've been collecting many interesting photos during these past few days which will be put up (relatively) shortly for your enjoyment.

So anyway, these are the first photos that I've captured (albeit a bit blurry because the gold python skin is so metallic) worthy of being "Installment 1". In other words, these are the first photos to kick off a continuing series of shots of stylish subjects I find around Shanghai practicing individual style.




Not only is this look not doable for a majority of people, but no one other than the original purchaser of the garment could even buy it because it wasn't reproduced. This gold python corset is from a '97 Givenchy couture show, and the piece was worn by Naomi Campbell. Whoa.

Vunderkind, Uma Wang!

Guess who I saw in Bund18 today? Vunderkind designer Uma Wang of course! (Uma's Site!), looking oh so fly in a pair of army-colored drop-crotch pants and a blazer silk-screened with distorted faces:


Not only was she doing her designer duties by exercising free style in the great state of China, but she was also getting down to a lot of business. She was there to discuss her participation in a fashion show in the Bund18 atrium on November 18th to commemorate Bund18's 5th Year Anniversary. She was also there to discuss her new collection being released in Bund18's special one-month store also for the 5th Year Anniversary called "Pop Up Shop by YOUNIK". Her line is called "White Label" and is a special line of made-to-order wedding dresses (you actually get to collaborate with Uma and her great assistant Nela). They are BEAUTIFUL!:


Also to note, a perennial favorite, the "Project East" fashion show at Harvard, is coming up this Saturday on November 14th, and it will also be showcasing Uma Wang and other amazing Asian and Asian American design talents! Check out their beautiful website for a sneak peak of what's to come:

www.project-east.com

The show is going to be AMAZING this year, and I'm sad I won't make it... they are showing Vera Wang, Derek Lam, Giuliano Fujiwara, and Uma! They'll also be showing up-and-coming designers from Parsons, like standout Edward Lorenz Tan who was Menswear Designer of the Year in 2009. It's bound to be wild and wildly fun, and here's a behind-the-scenes photo and an advertisement (both designs by Edward) if you're not already convinced it's going to be great... and it's all for charity! (China Tomorrow Education Foundation):

Qiu Hao, Man of Vision

Now you all can see what sartorial boringness I have to deal with every day:



Best Quotes from Qiu Hao:

"My photographer friend told me: 'Oh Shanghai style is so interesting, because the street style is so boring.' Well, that's what I saw. It's kinda boring, ya, and also these days it's really fake."

Qiu Hao legitimizes my observations that people dress so blah here. As he later calls this predominant style, "like office lady style"... most everyone here is dressed in a sort of droopy style very similar to that of a rural office lady... or office man (sometimes in China, he or she has bedazzled their gear, but that doesn't really make it better).

Also:
"In London, you just go out in the college or the street, you can see a lot of people that have their own style and it's not learned from a book or fashion magazine.
They created their own style, and from their outfits you can see their personality."

This is totally true, and that is the second quote that he has talked about something being copied or fake... dress here is definitely not only boring but also fake. There is no interpretation of cultural materials in China. That is to say, clothing is adopted, rather than adapted, by Chinese from the West. So, because these styles are simply learned or copied, the situation demonstrates how many people just consume fashion in China... I guess you could say that this is a contributing factor to the success of large Western luxury brands in China. And I guess, by extension, counterfeit luxury goods.

That's Shanghai Fashion Special
Qiu Hao was ranked as the number 1 most influential person in Chinese Fashion. The list also includes Vera Wang (she's American...), Angelica Cheung, and a few other surprises (meaning these people definitely shouldn't be on this list). Qiu Hao deserved to be on top though, especially with this response to a question about personal goals:

"I'd like to show my collections to more people. I thought about doing Shanghai Fashion Week... but I prefer to organize my own show."

Ouch... but I mean, I'd do the same. That's only a fair statement by anyone who has ever had to experience Shanghai Fashion Week.

Shanghai Fashion? Week

I hope the government doesn't crack down on me for knocking their attempts at a fashion week, but I have to say that it was, well, just bad.

The most recent Shanghai Fashion Week was the first time I experienced it, and it will most likely be my last for a few seasons until I find the value in attending again. The first problem was the music... It was SO loud and über Zoolander, but I don't think there was any irony in it.

I was only able to attend a few shows because of work, but I could summarize the entire event by noting that one designer's collection looked like 20 different collections and another one used her samples from last season to present this season... I mean, Shanghai is certainly the front-runner for the fashion capital on the Mainland, but I don't think I can use the word "designer" to describe 95% of the names at Shanghai Fashion Week. These are the people to continue to stigmatize the idea of "Made in China" to 外国人, or foreigners like myself.

The good news is that there is some home-grown talent amongst all of those weeds. Most of these designers don't bother with fashion week, like the incredible Uma Wang (www.umawang.com). However, some designers see the advantage of the visibility that Fashion Week can afford a young star, and one such up-and-comer is designer Jiang Ling for "COMING". The name is silly because no one will ever be able to Google her, but perhaps Baidu will work soon. For now, you can take a peek at her collection here:

From Clothing to Fashion to Style

The fastest way I can explain the differences amongst these three words, or concepts, is that clothing is the most basic form and style is the most advanced.

Clothing in theory only existed when pieces of clothing were used strictly for the function of modesty or protection (depending on whether or not your viewpoint is religious). Today, since each piece of clothing is loaded with signifiers and connotations and meaning, no person uses "clothing." For everyone dressing in today's world, clothing is fashion, but there are those that have progressed to practicing style.

The largest percentage of style-practicing citizens are from the West (where exactly, that can be debated), but I would argue that China is perhaps at one of the lowest percentages in terms of population that practices style.

This is for a couple of reasons. One is because sartorial practices are based mainly on imitation of Western fashion. Imitation is certainly part of fashion, but individuality is key in practicing style. The organic growth of fashion into the mature form of style is hampered by large Western fashion brands, whose voyeuristic imagery have helped fuel the trend of imitation instead of individualization... although unattainable by many because of high prices, it still serves as a homogenizing form for China's richest. And for the rest of the population, fashion arbitration and dissemination comes from a foreign source, meaning that China can only truly develop style once it adapts, as opposed to adopts, cultural materials like fashion.