Yank Brands Landing in the Celestial Empire

Calvin Klein plans to whip up its presence on the Mainland.

Ralph Lauren is also slated to bring all its major lines here, perhaps even opening a Madison Ave-style Mansion somewhere in the French Concession. I hope the brand has not become too diluted already on the Mainland. It will be interesting to see how locals respond to the Purple and Black labels.

Apparently, the evil Abercrombie and Bitch is also expected, after their antics received only a lukewarm reception in Tokyo. Hopefully the government will force them to tone it down a bit for China. It was quite a travesty when they opened a shop on Savile Row.

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.