Hong Kong-based lyricist and a columnist Wyman has a major following in Beijing and counts among his friends designers like Xander Zhou.

Photo: Suzy
Tang Shuang is a senior fashion editor at Outlook Magazine in Shanghai. She is wearing a striped menswear inspired shirt under her leather-sleeve coat.

Photo: Suzy

GQ Editor Dan Cui is considered by many in the field to be one of the most talented editors of a men’s magazine. We also ran into him at the Burberry event back in April. He is wearing a coat by Dries van Noten.

Photos: Suzy

One can either compare last week’s Xander Zhou show to those of other Chinese fashion designers at Mercedes Benz China Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012. Xander himself would probably prefer to have his show evaluated for its own merits or alongside foreign designers like Rick Owens and Christopher Kane.  However, since I am not doing all that much coverage of Fashion Week here, I thought would use Xander’s show as a sort of foil for the other things I saw during this most historic week.

Of course, the first thing to point out is that Xander’s show is not part of the official schedule of Mercedes Benz China Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012.  He put on his own event in an off-site location, D-Lounge, and the sponsorship and production were not connected to the official Week.

At least one consultant who will be working on upcoming China Fashion Weeks has suggested that there may be an effort to incorporate younger, hipper, more sophisticated, designers like Xander Zhou in the regular program of the Week.

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Photo: Suzy
Xander Zhou.  What comes to mind?  A young, partying, larger-than-life sort of designer who gets a great deal of publicity.  Fashion events and bottles of champagne. The cover photo of the October 2010 “Gay China” issue of Hong Huang’s Ilook Magazine.  For me, the main memory is of that time I bumped into him on the streets of Paris.

In short, the hype around the man sometimes overshadows his fashion collections.  He may be young and not too many retail points actually carry his brands, but Xander Zhou is already a big name in China fashion – especially for foreigners watching this space.  Often, he is the only Mainland fashion designer that people from outside of Beijing have even heard of.

Due to scheduling conflicts, I had not actually been to one of his shows before and had only had the opportunity to see his creations hanging in BNC and on the man himself on one of the countless parties that we both attended.  Given how much he seems to be out and the time he must take being interviewed by fashion magazines, I was not sure how he ever had time to design.

We will have more on his show last night later this week.

Photo: Suzy

A fashion designer,  Zhang Huishan is a devoted Yohji Yamamoto fan. He was lucky enough to get his hands on this coat during a sample sale.  This coat was also on the runway in black, naturally.

Photo: Suzy
Also at the Lane Crawford event, fashion designer Even Xiao is wearing his own brand. His blue was quite outstanding in that sea of black and grey.  Here is his Weibo.

Photo: Suzy
Nicy (left) is a model, photographer and stylist. Her friend is Mo Si.

This young design student teamed up with Triple-Major to create some very elaborate buxie that take off on tradition.

City Weekend has more on the highlights of Design Week.

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“Real” only in the sense that she actually lives there now.  This young lady who goes by the name Moon-D on Weibo is neither a typical nor a long-term resident of Dashilar.  Only in Beijing for about two years, she moved into the historic neighborhood a few months ago, attracted by the central location, vert low rent (around USD 100 a month – though her place lacks a private bathroom and kitchen), and attractive environment.  Part of a rock band, she describes herself as one of the few “artsy” people living in the area.  She also says Design Week was probably the first hip, cultural event to take place there.

Photos&Text: Suzy
Izzue‘s Fall/Winter 2011 fashion show that was held this friday in 798 started with a great soundtrack and ended with a bang. Beijing’s local Indie stars Queen Sea Big Shark played a rocking set that had all the hipsters dancing or a at least tapping their feet.

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Photos&Text: Suzy

I also met fellow streetstyle photographer Mavener. I like her unpretentious yet cool style but unfortunately don’t remember the site she works for, will update as soon as I find out.

Photos&Text: Suzy
A Stylites post was recently featured on a tumblr called Wearing the pants that collects pictures of women wearing menswear-inspired outfits. For women, such styles have long been fashionable, whereas the man-skirt still turns heads and seems a bit provocative. Also at the David Ubl event, fashion designer Xiao Qiao’s colourful number was created by a friend of his.

Photos&Text: Suzy

This past Saturday, German designer David Ubl presented his summer collection at Beijing rooftop terrace bar The Beach. Unfortunately due to rainy weather, the show was transferred inside. This did not stop the city’s fashion folk from dressing up as their usual chic selves. Here is Chictopia Designer Qing Yang who already appeared on Stylites during this summer’s festival season.

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Magazine editor Juliette, who lived in Paris for quite a few years and has now returned to Shanghai, owns a Peugeot, but on most days, she rides the bus to get to work. She does, however, have a bike, but she usually uses it just for going to buy flowers.

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Taipei-based designer and blogger Milla Huang, creator of a brand called méchant bébé, flew to Shanghai to attend the Colors magazine Transport event. She ordinarily relies on a combination of foot and subway to get around. However, she does have a car for longer excursions.

I also met Beijinger Chen Jiaojiao at the Transport event. She seems unassuming and casual – quite “Beijing” – considering her position: Editor-in-Chief of The Outlook Magazine. Yes, this is that “cool, creative magazine” here in China that foreigners ask me about. The Outlook Magazine is sometimes confused with media maven Hong Huang’sIlook, though the two publications have very different Chinese names and general appearances. Both arewell-established as hip or avant-garde titles, most of which drop by the wayside after a few issues.They are alsodistinct from fashion magazinesEsquire, Cosmo, Ray Li,et al, which rarely contain surprises.

I asked Chen how she gets to her office in Sanlitun from her home in Shuangjing. She and her husband, who works as Creative Director at the same magazine, take a brown Miniman to work every day. The Miniman is apparently a slightly extended version of the Mini. They do have bikes, but these are used mainly for running errands in the neighborhood as the ride to work is both too long at 40 minutes and too dangerous and disorderly.

Of the homemade vehicles on display at the Transport exhibition, she found the makeshift tanks used by Libyan rebels most inspirational.

Also at the ColorsTransport event was Gene Ku Chien is Editor-in-Chief of ppaper, a fashion and lifestyle publication based in Taipei. Gene takes a subway to work most days, though late at night he cabs. With no car, bike, or motorbike, he finds driving unappealing. Cutting down on emissions was not the initial goal, though it is a welcome benefit.

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While at the Colors Magazine Transport event, I asked some guests how they get around.

Shanghai-based Psydee Yang, who works in advertising, just bought a new Forever bike in deep purple. Now that the weather is cooler, she is hoping to ride it to work more often.

The commute: Subway takes 20 minutes, bus 15, walking 30 and bike 15.

Photo&Text: Suzy

I have always admired those who dress in real vintage almost from head to toe. Here, fashion designer Elysée Yang is in an Italian orginal she purchased last year.

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