STYLITES IN BEIJING

I didn’t realize this when photographing her but lovely Jin Haixin is a well-known pop singer.  She is a Chinese of Korean ethnicity and has been popular since 1999.

The dress is Donna Karan the glasses vintage.

Compared to other more arrogant celebrities I have encountered, she was very sweet, not becoming irritated by my annoying questions (”where do you perform?” “do you have a band?”).  You can sample her tunes on baidu.

When I need a job done properly, I rely on the services of young but talented Shanghaiese Jeffrey Ying (应捷).  His base of operations for at least the next month is right here in the Northern Capital, to which his eye-catching style and unique pursuits bring a certain drama.  His main residences are in the French Concession, San Francisco, and right overlooking the Bosphorus in a city that he still insists on calling Constantinople.  Here he wears a 1960s Kipper Tie and “bi-curious” spectators from Moreschi.

Will his activities turn Beijing upside down this summer?  But of course…Full Profile to follow.

Another young magazine editor.

Having graduated from Beijing Agriculture University in ‘08, Li Huawen (李画文) and Zheng Ran (郑然, English name: Ro) are now devoting themselves to their own brand that blends illustration, design and fashion. Called Rofty (ro联厂), they produce original T-Shirts, various badges, graphic posters, environmentally friendly shopping bags and other items.

The more vivacious one in the pair - she will inevitably handle the marketing - Ro studied landscape architecture and environmental planning and he graphic design. He has worked in an advertising firm before, but now they are both freelancers at the moment and hoping they never have to work in an office in the future.

If you must expose your legs, don’t be afraid.  Do it in something tastefully flowery.

Compare these lapels.  I had been meaning to introduce Mr. Jeffrey Ying, one of my main partners in crime.  He is staying in Beijing this summer, and I will do a more full profile in an upcoming post.

Qu Ying may be more well-known than Jeffrey, at least on this side of the Pacific.  I’m not keen on celebrities, but the unprecedentedly low notch on this coat from Stella Mccartney coat convinced me to photograph this model, singer, MC and actress.

The look is taut and professional but langorous, graceful but meticulous.  I like the peaked lapel sport coat with sleeves rolled up on this editor at a very well-known fashion magazine.

Based in Shanghai, Edison is a visual merchandiser.  Edison is a native of Nanjing, where he studied fashion design as an undergraduate.  He lives in Shanghai and has previously visited New York.

Dior released its fall collections here in Beijing today at Nanxincang.  This young Hunanese lady was wearing a cute Dior dress from the current spring collection.  She was determined that I must not mention her name or position.

I’m surprisingly fond of this fashion magazine editor’s look.  The hat and rolled up trouser legs are rather trendy, but the see-through sweater and pink belt peeping out show some real verve.  I also like the spectacles.

Nico and Quiet (their English names) are unexpected.   I rarely encounter couples - at least the ones that include two sexes - in which both members look reasonably stylish.  Recent graduate Nico, who does take her name from the singer on the first Velvet Underground album, works for the Bank of China, where I have a small account, and keeps a blog.  In addition to classic rock and punk, Nico enjoys electronic music.  She recently visited Nepal with Quiet and hopes to travel more in the near future.

Paul Pan has worked for the website 263 for ten years and he lives in Weikung Hutong.

Epically tall Beijinger Jane Zhao always wears a hat.  From Beijing, she works in a foreign company, speaks flawless English and has travelled the world.

Wang Xiaobei is a (Catullus loving?) fashion designer with a brand called Odi et Amo who gets around.   Here he was at the Accupuncture music festival, but Shanghai street fashion blog Streetaholic captured him just a few weeks before at the 2009 Midi Festival in Jiangsu.

There are several things very sci-fi about this young fellow I found in the hutongs nearby my place.  His whole aura suggests where our world might be headed.

Vivian, from Taiwan, works in advertising and has been in Beijing for a year.

Tomasz appears again on Stylites.  I would recommend you chat with him in person next time you see him.

Jungle cat prints, bright red pants, and a check cardigan join in a rivetingly adventurous streetwear ensemble worn by this Beijing rock musician.

From Xinjiang, Zhang Yajun does marketing for Red Bull and is wearing a Mcdonald’s scarf.

I never know who I might run into at a shirting shop.  Xander Zhou (also here) shouldn’t need much introduction to viewers of Stylites.  Among the most well-known Beijing-based menswear designers, Xander studied in the Netherlands and his brand sells internationally.  For more information about him check out JC Report, an interview with him at Dazed Digital, and a Time Out London piece on “Beijing Heroes” where Xander ranks with Ai Weiwei and Gia (also been on stylites).