Korea the Beautiful

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Adorable Ma Lina buys Korean brands, says that Korea is the world’s most stylish and beautiful country, and if she could pick one place in the world to visit, it would be Jeju Island, in Korea. She also thinks that Japan is pretty stylish. France is alright, she guesses. I suspect her style is not what most Westerners would consider typically Korean or Japanese. However, the brands she wears are mostly Korean, made in China and intended for export.

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The love of all things Korean is not unusual for Chinese of Ma Lina’s generation, but her take on the style seems a bit different. Still, I probably don’t watch enough Korean citcoms to truly understand this cultural phenonena.

Fuax Fur-Clad Recorder

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Only black guys can pull off those huge capacious fur coats, only Asian guys can wear fitted faux-fur jackets, and white guys are left with thinsulate ear muffs. Fur is one of those thing where if a guy has to first ask his friends whether or not he should be wearing it, he probably just shouldn’t bother. Fur (or faux-fur) wearers already know that they should be wearing fur. This record producer is one those guys who can pull it off and look good.

Scarfy Student at Oriental Plaza

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The choice by this student of black and white with a dash of red is actually quite common for fashionable people in China but the studs on the trousers make the scarf seem like a reference to prison, while the shrunken pea coat seems militaristic and the hat a bit threatening – all together an interesting effect. This was at Oriental Plaza.

Looks Accentuated

beauty-lvIn a city with innumerable lovely girls, 95% of whom compromise their natural beauty with over-reliance on lace, glitter, and chains, it’s spirit-lifting to see style that highlights the grace of the wearer while at the same time being a little unique. I even forgive the somewhat blatant red LV bag – at least this model is not so often faked as of yet.

Trip to the Middle East

Updates have been less frequent in the last couple of weeks because I have been very busy with my day job, and because the frigid weather reduces the number of stylish people.

Over the next three weeks updates will likely be still more sporadic. I will be traveling through the Middle East over and may have limited access to the internet during visits to remote historic sites, probably while staying in hostels lacking wireless. When I have the chance, I will post photos I have taken recently.
Hits on Stylites have spiked recently and I recommend that all new viewers enjoy the archives. Street photos are arranged by area in the categories to the right. The best photos are to be found in “Nanluoguxiang” and “Xidan” though “Dongsi” also has some good ones.

Zhai Yanxin – Design and Tailoring

Zhai Yanxin’s work incorporates custom tailoring and design. I have always said that this was a natural course for high-end fashion to take here in China. Why buy an Armani dress when a thousand other people have the same one (and aside from the final stitches done in Italy, the Armani was probably made in China anyway)? For the same price or lower, a stylish Chinese lady can have a completely unique piece tailored for her by Mr. Zhai, for example. More from Xinhua here and take a look at the designer’s blog.

China to be #3 Market for Coach

Coach says China will be its #3 market after the US and Japan. This quote from Coach seems to sum up the attitude that most foreign luxury brands have toward China and the rest of the less-developed world: “In non-Japan Asia, consumers are at a different stage in the lifecyle of their experience with luxury goods. Luxury for them is much more about status. It’s a badge.”

In the West, is luxury an expression of personal style, a connection with traditions, or an celebration of beauty and quality?

Valentino Opening in Beijing

Valentino Fashion Group S.p.A will be opening its first free standing Valentino boutique in Beijing this week. In the Peninsula Palace shopping arcade, this flagship boutique will carry the menswear and ladies wear collections as well as bags, shoes, sunglasses and watches. Despite a rather thin presence on the ground in China, the brand Valentino is already quite well-known and has been a frequent victim of trademark infringement. There are many clothing brands based in China that include the word “Valentino” in their name.