Louis Vuitton is the most desired luxury brand in China, according to a list by Bain & Company, that ranks Chanel and Gucci second and third. Despite the omnipresence of those tired names, the retail and luxury landscapes are diversifying. According to this Global Times piece, Chinese are becoming more selective, focusing on style rather than merely the perceived status of a brand, and CNN reports that many Chinese luxury consumers don’t care about brand name at all, prioritizing the shopping experience.

More and more, luxury buying will be happening beyond conventional shopping centers.

Read More

At Sanlitun Village North, this is how it should be done.

在三里屯北，这个值得模仿。

After a very nice but rushed Thailand vacation, I’m back to Beijing and regular posts tomorrow.

明天回到北京。

Small vacation from Stylites and the magazine, so apologies for less frequent posts.  I will be back to Beijing next Tuesday.

If I were doing this blog in NYC, I might not take a picture of this fellow.  However, it Beijing I have never seen anyone, Chinese foreign, dressed this way.  He is wearing a Ralph Lauren Purple Label suit and tie.  Very nice, though a pocket square might not hurt.

如果在纽约做这样的博客不一定会拍他，但在北京从来没见过穿这样服装的人 － 不管是外国人还是中国人。

Lane Crawford’s Winter Soiree brought out the most happening fellows in town for Moët and pop-up shops.

This top is made by a Beijing tailor out of fabric purchased in India.

北京最时尚的男人都来到连卡佛冬日聚会为了一边喝香饼，一边购物。

上面的衣服是北京的裁缝用印度买的布料做的。

Read More

Also at Lane Crawford, fashion writer and stylist Mega Mengmeng is wearing a coat from a series that she is designing together with London-based Chinese designer Masha Ma, called MegaMengMeng by Masha Ma. Here Mengmeng is on a London street style blog.

在连卡佛，大萌萌穿的是她和Masha Ma一起合作设计的系列，叫作 MegaMengMeng by Masha Ma，之后会在洪晃的B.N.C里面销售 。萌萌也被个伦敦的街拍网站拍过。

At Lane Crawford’s Winter Soiree, Beijing Radio DJ Maimai in a sport coat by Beijing designer Zhang Chi.

在连卡佛冬日聚会，北京广播台DJ麦麦穿着服装设计师张驰。

There would have been a lot of people to photograph at Diesel’s giant Sanlitun Village North shop opening the other night, but unfortunately I forgot to recharge the battery in my camera.  It was a busy day at the magazine and my mind wasn’t on Stylites.

I did get to meet Diesel’s founder and CEO, Renzo Rosso.

Diesel在三里屯揭幕当晚一定有不少人用相机记录下了此次盛会，而我却忘了给自己的相机充电。那天编辑部特别忙，我的精力完全不在Stylites上。

当晚我见到了Diesel的创始人兼CEO，Renzo Rosso。

Read More

At a Lane Crawford party, Anina is one of the better-known foreign models operating in China.  She also runs a major fashion website.

Her jacket is by Beijing-based designer Liu Lu.

Anina可能是最有名的在中国工作的外模。她的彩色服装的品牌是LU 12.28。

The legendary Paris department store, already a favorite of Chinese tourists,  will be arriving in Beijing by 2014.  They are teaming up with HK retailer I.T.  It seems they’ve been thinking about this since 2007.  I wonder if the major American department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Barney’s, etc. would do well here.  Currently, the only department stores of their type are the Swank and Lane Crawford, both from Hong Kong.

Read More

This photo and interview was in Modern Weekly a while back.  Photographer Joy Island got interested in fashion while studying in London.

Read More

It is upon us.  It’s nice to see that more Beijingers are finding hats to be stylish these days.  In the past, the spectacle of people in giant, grotesque, puffer coats going hatless was always amusing.

我很开心最近更多的时尚一点的北京人愿意戴帽子。原来我一直觉得看到很多人穿着特厚的羽绒服但不戴帽子有点好笑。

Photos: Suzy

This visual merchandiser for Prada reminded everyone at the Gap party of Björk.

Two members of Super VC, Beijing’s leading fashion partying band.

Two members of Super VC, Beijing’s leading fashion partying band.

Read More

Photos: Suzy

At the Gap opening, GQ editor Jacky Tam dares to match his pocket square and tie.  Bold, bold, indeed.

It doesn’t take much to figure out that the “Little Emperors” are a huge market in China, but the fact that they are also a luxury market may not seem as obvious. This Jingdaily piece emphasizes that much conspicuous consumption can occur through children. In its new store at Wangfujing, Gap is certainly on to this trend.

Read More

The Japanese version of Leon sent a photographer over for this event.  Wearing a glen-check suit, he was one of the most effortlessly stylish individuals at the event.  Don’t think I have ever seen an event photographer who was so well-dressed.

日本版的《Leon》的摄影师也来了。我从来没见过一个活动摄影师穿得这么好。

Justin from NC-Style and a friend.

Read More

Photos: Suzy

Formerly at Prada, Carol is Visual Merchandiser for the new Gap Wangfujing, which opened on Friday.