For the last few days, the entire server that hosts Stylites has been blocked in China.  This is not due to content on Stylites; there must be other websites on the same server that have pornography or questionable political content.  Stylites is now moving to a new server and updates should start as usual within a week.  Thank you for your continued support.

Ever notice that most mannequins look a bit like Barbie or He-man?  A Janice Wang has come up with mannequins scans of bodies of the target consumers.  Her company will offer a mix of products and service.  In addition to the more accurate physiques of her models, she will tell clients exactly what shapes and sizes are needed to match the demographics where the clothing will be selling.  This could be yet another advantage for ready-to-wear clothing over tailor-made.

Do keep in mind the monotony of the street scene in China just thirty years ago.  This AFP piece reminds us that not only fashion has returned.  Shanghai and Beijing were more or less in black in white at the start of Reform and Opening. 

There are some interesting tidbits about the fashion then.  In 1978, cotton was competing with grain for agricultural land.  For me, a frustrating result was perfection of polyester technology.  The scarcity of cotton meant, a dress shirt cost half a person’s annual rations.  An entire outfit was often worth the entire family’s yearly allowance of ration coupons.  Since entire shirts were such an extravagance, men would wear just the collar, a kind of bib that would be visible over a jacket or sweater.

Now Shanghai and Beijing are filled with shopping addicts who have years worth of outfits in their wardrobes.  Men can buy RMB 20,000 Berlutis, shoes so lovely that a shirt is barely necessary.  

Still, sometimes it seems the majority of men are still in black and white.  Fellows appearing on Stylites notwithstanding, men have made less of a shocking jump than women.  Though it may not be a uniform, the majority of men particularly in tier two or three cities seem to be dressed quite quite nearly identically. 

Formerly a fashion designer, Kevin now devotes himself to developing fashion brands in the China market through consulting. His main efforts are focused on educating on marketing and branding, creating a hip image essential in competing with well established Western brands.

Sometimes the key to style is appropriateness; not elegance or fashion.  This look is perfect for walking through winter in the hutongs.  At the same time, Alice Liu looks like she just walked out of a Salvation Army with the most unique items she could dig up: a suede toggle coat and pleated jeans.  A Beijinger, she has spent much of her life in London and has now returned to her hometown to make her fortune as a writer and cat breeder.  In order to achieve the former, she has just taken a position at Danwei, the top English site covering Chinese media and urban life.  For the latter, she is now allowing her non-spade female cat roam free in the environs of Nanluoguxiang.  Interestingly, this cat herself is the product of a hutong romance between stray cats.

“About Nels Frye (费志远)” tells about me and shows how I look.  There are some new updates.

This Yves Saint Laurent motorcycle jacket from the fall/winter ‘08 collection is quite a remarkable piece and I am envious of Richard is my favorite from him.

Agu Anumudu is a freelance creative director who does events for China Doll Club.  He was attending the Bogue event with Ai Wan, President, Founder and CEO of ChinaDoll Culture and Entertainment.  Ai Wan is an actress who was described as a ”leader of the new rising creative class in Beijing” by Outlook Magazine.  Having arrived recently from Nigeria, Agu quickly got in with the right set.

Jane and I seem to cross paths all the time, frequenting the same bars and parties.  She always wears a hat.

Paris correspondent for Madame Figardo, Xiang Sun, who has appeared here before looking a bit Lagerfeld-like, explained that today he was dressed more in his usual style.  Dressing like Lagerfeld is intended partially as flattery of a designer and friend whom he greatly admires.  He also has a lot of Lagerfeld items that he received as gifts.

A bit pharaonic, this collar was created by its wearer, Sebastian Linack.  An architect, he occasionally turns his skills to designing collars.  The black strips can also be crossed to form a sort of X over the neck.

The other night, I ran into Londoner Emilia again – this time on the streets of Sanlitun.  I love the rubik’s cube necklace.  She made it herself.

Canon should use Nanluoguxiang in its ads becaues every second person there has a RMB 20,000 DSLR, even those dressed not much better than migrant laborers.  Were they to invest that money in their outfits, there would be much more for Stylites to photograph.  This young fellow on the other hand, brings quite a magical flair to the the occupation.  Mr. Wang is a rare photographer that actually cares about his own appearance in this quirky but certainly autumnal look.  I wouldn’t have thought of an almost Keffiyeh type scarf with an argyle sweater,  but he seems to be pulling it off.  It is a mix of the Middle East and Europe perfected on a East Asian frame.  This look may not rank as high fashion or even be particularly well-matched, but I did not see anything on its level of inventiveness three years ago.