Archive – October 2006

Senli and Frye

October 31 2006 (07:48:00) US/Pacific

When you are traveling through Beijing and need a chic custom suit, cashmere overcoat, trousers, tweed jacket, or any other type of clothing that you can imagine, please stop by Senli and Frye, tailorshop. A man looking for a tailor should seek the following features: top quality, a thorough understanding of the various styles from Milan to London, and a reasonable price. Most other tailors only offer one of these, while we offer all three. Senli and Frye fills a void that exists in the tailoring market.

Generally, if you want a quality tailored garment, you must pay a high price. Often the best tailors also have very fixed ideas about styling. You will not get a suit as slim as Dolce and Gabbana or Helmut Lang from this type of tailor. You are likely to get a tasteful garment with very bland styling.

Tailors that offer stylish clothing often sacrifice on quality. The same can be said for many designer suits as well as high-street brands like Zara and H&M. These brands and tailors focused on style, you might be able to get the slim fit but you have to sacrifice on finishing (quality of buttons, stitching, lining, etc.), the construction of the suit and amount of handwork.

Then there are the cheap tailors who cannot really offer quality or a decent fit. You get a garment that will deteriorate after a year, without even looking good during the short time in which it was wearable. Anyone with eyes for style will recognize a garment this, and discount its wearer.

For bespoke service, style, quality at prices comparable to the least expensive off-the-rack suits in the United States, please contact me at 13910092410 or feizhiyuan@yahoo.com.

Senli and Frye can make your dream garment, whether your tastes run toward Dior Homme or Saville Row.

 

Comments

I will take you up on this the next time I am in Beijing. What are your prices on a suit? Do you do overcoats?
Posted by Pescatore on 11/01/2006 03:13:50 AM

Thank you for your interest, Dan. The base price for a suit is 1800 RMB. This includes fabric. Let me stress again that this is a suit that will make your appearance shine in any kind of international business setting. We also have an excellent casual, herringbone, tweed blazer – which you would love – that you can have made up for 900 RMB, in total. I had a great cashmere overcoat made. We can do this for around 2000 RMB. This is top-quality cashmere and a very fitted cut. I would recommend that double-breasted, slightly military style, model, but we can make any style. This is the sort of overcoat that costs USD 2000 in the States, and even at that price it would not be fitted to your body like this one.
Posted by stylites on 11/01/2006 03:29:45 AM

where abouts is the shop? i was hoping to get a suit (or maybe a selection) tailored in the style of hedi slimane whilst out here in beijing.
Posted by james on 12/08/2006 10:27:36 AM

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Retreat to Consumerism

October 19 2006 (07:34:00) US/Pacific

Environmentalism was a great concern for me while I was growing up, as was overpopulation. Trips to Bombay and other developing world cities and movies like Soilent Green inspired this interest of mine. Since the last years of high school, I have not felt motivated by these things. For one thing, I became convinced that these were not serious problems. The world around me seemed to confirm that the issues of overpopulation and environmental degradation were not as serious as they had once seemed to me. The population is never going to reach 12 billion. Also, the types of people typically involved in environmental causes were not a group to which I wanted to belong. Their style and manner was similar to that of most liberals. Most environmentalists supported other liberal causes, about which I do not feel similarly impassioned. There seemed to be something vulgar and plebian about being wrought up about saving animals and reducing consumption. It seems so earnest and tedious. It was either fat underachieving middle-aged men or young hippy types. Environmentalists seem foolishly impassioned and filled with unrealistic knee-jerk reactions. They often seem like the same people who deride religion, all things eternal and a prioritization of taste. They wear oversized tee-shirts, cargo pants, and New Balances.

I became involved with a conservative set of kids, whose views I respected a great deal. Now I have also gone so far as to adopt wholesale the consumerism of the society around me, and my work position strives toward capitalistic goals. I reassure myself that my approach to consumerism is unique and stylish, but this seems a little silly.

The ugliness that capitalism creates has begun to frustrate me. I don’t like to think that I involved in its perpetuation rather than its prevention. But I also see that much beauty would probably be impossible – human generated beauty would not exist and natural beauty would be inaccessible – without capitalism. So the answer may be that beauty and the environment must generate economic value in order to continue.

These matters are impossibly complex and deal with the destiny of our planet. They deal with questions of how life should be guided that remain, sadly, unanswered in my case. Should my work be related to fundamental beliefs – to causes I support? Or is that kind of naïve? Perhaps I have embraced cynicism.

Again I feel sapped by the knowledge that my thoughts on these matters are overly simplistic.

If you have time, read this article by the executive director of the Sierra Club. It discusses the link between religion and environmentalism, their joint goal of opposing consumerism.

http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200609/ways_and_means.asp

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Imports to China

October 17 2006 (05:28:00) US/Pacific

 

I have returned to Beijing. You really should come visit me some time, though the plane ride back stole my good looks.

I barely slept last night.

The amount of stuff I brought back from the States suggests there is hope for the trade deficit. The total weight of my suitcases was 120 pounds. Analyze the contents of my suitcases and we might not get some hints – particularly those items intended for Chinese people.

Chocolate

Dried Cranberries

Beef Jerky

Facial care products

Velvet fabric in purple and blue

American Apparel clothing

Lingerie

Tweed

Herringbone shoes

Several things from Zara

Socks from H&M

Two I love NY articles of clothing

8 Copies of N+1

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woodcutter

October 12 2006 (13:36:00) US/Pacific


An overcast country day…

Comments

What were you doing in the second and third photos from the bottom up… Holding a magic stick? I know nothing about country life, but still, you do need some functional tools to chop some wood… or have I got it all wrong?!
Posted by Y Y on 10/13/2006 05:15:17 AM

Thanks a lot for raising this issue. My axe broke. I am holding up the handle and begging the heavens to give me a new axe or to glue them back together. Also, YY – are you a female? Perhaps you could give me your contact information…You phrase things in such a delightful manner. If you are a young lady, I believe that you must have the most fascinating ideas. Is your voice cute? It sounds like it could be. Please post a comment here if you would like to enter correspondence with me. I might be able to teach you a bit about country living. There are so many fun things to do outdoors – imagine idyllic clearings with not a soul around.
Posted by stylites on 10/17/2006 05:17:50 AM

Oh Nels, I’m flattered! I told my fiancé about your friendly offer, but somehow he didn’t seem to be all that pleased. I wonder why…
Posted by Y Y on 10/17/2006 09:40:50 AM

He’s such a lucky guy. Is he handsome and elegant? Would you describe him as a gentleman? Tell me more about this fellow.
Posted by stylites on 10/18/2006 02:00:43 AM

Nels darling, I’m glad that you think so highly of my fiancé. He dreams of a soaring career in Bollywood and for that reason, he spends most of his income on flashy outfits. I think his favourite piece would have to be a toffee coloured “veston de cuir” which often reminds of the yellow raincoat that Paddington Bear often wears. Also, he is seriously addicted to dried cranberries.
Posted by Y Y on 10/18/2006 03:45:48 AM

Hmmm…My appearance has often been compared to a Bollywood actor. I had an unpleasent introduction to the former Bombay when I was ten, so I don’t think I will be heading there. These pictures suggest a career as an axe murderer.
Posted by stylites on 10/18/2006 03:59:57 AM

This series of photos had me laughing out loud.
Posted by Sir Josh on 10/22/2006 06:57:06 PM

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Erguotou in NYC

October 09 2006 (14:12:00) US/Pacific

Beijing Conquers NYC.

 

Comments

world’s foullest liquor conquers another country.
Posted by Pescatore on 10/13/2006 02:22:07 AM

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New York, New York

October 05 2006 (00:55:00) US/Pacific

Can one not stand in awe of the world-empire’s megalopolis? Even as it absorbs and completes all the countries of the world, it is like a myriad countries unto itself.

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Pada, Goats

October 03 2006 (16:23:00) US/Pacific

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Nels Frye is a freelance writer, photographer, consultant and stylist, based in Beijing. Focuses are on street style, other consumer trends, and broader social issues.