624 Changle

Changle 624, my favorite liquor store and outdoor bar, on Changle Road, just around the corner from Pawnstar in the middle of the Former French Concession plays host to the most interesting assortment of young style figures in Shanghai.

Q&A: China’s Consumer Fashion Evolution

How would you describe the evolution of the Chinese consumer towards fashion retail since you first arrived here over a decade ago?

The seemingly constant miracle that is the Chinese economy entered a new phase over the last decade in which the rise of the middle class became the dominant narrative. The number of consumers has increased exponentially as well as their sophistication in terms of knowledge of brands and personal style. This consumer has also seen the quality and variety of choices available multiply in a very short period.

Ten years ago, the retail market, online and off, was divided between very low quality brands and knock-offs on the one hand, and aggressively priced luxury brands on the other. Fast fashion and brands from Zara to GAP and Uniqlo have now expanded from first to fourth-tier cities, and premium brands have entered the market. Meanwhile, a universe of local independent designers has exploded while the style options on Taobao and other online marketplaces have grown at an unprecedented pace. Most people – the young in particular – dress much better today than they did 10 years ago. They show not only an awareness of global trends but often also a greater sense of personal style.

The Devil Wears Zara

I’m delighted that my friend and frequent Pawnstar client Juliette Gustavsson is hosting “The Devil Wears Zara” at Pawnstar. This was the title for a paper that she wrote about the sustainability and fast fashion. It could have been H&M, Forever 21, or C&A but Zara sounds better in the title. The quality and design of Zara is quite variable but they often do come out with some very nice pieces.

Juliette founded Mrs. Jet-Set, which offers luxury shopping tours here in Shanghai.

Ametora: David Marx at Pawnstar

Ametora means “American traditional” and started in the ’80s in Japan. It refers to collegiate American East Coast or what we usually call Preppy. “Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style” is also the title of a book by Tokyo-based W. David Marx that delves into the cultural history of Japanese menswear.

David will be at our shop, Pawnstar, tomorrow (Saturday 4/22) at 5:00pm to sign copies of his book and talk about Japanese dandy style and how it preserved and shaped American preppy.

The address of Pawnstar is Room 104, Bldg. 1, The Clement Apartments 1363 Fuxing Zhong Lu,Xuhui district 徐汇区复兴中路1363弄克莱门公寓1号楼104室

 

Here are reviews from GQ and Japan Times and get a copy on Amazon! Click more for additional pics.