:: the lovely and formidable Mrs. Jenny Zhu recently interviewed me about the Chinese creative community, emerging youth culture, and social media in China. Check it out on her blog. Please pardon the pink // AjS
:: taken in Shanghai inside Even Penniless, a women’s boutique on Changle Rd., near Ruijin Rd. I quite like this shop, it’s full of minimalist black, white, and grey clothing designed by Shanghai-based fashionisto Gao Xin. There is not a woman on the planet that wouldn’t look great in his stuff. I wish he had a men’s line. // AjS
:: “为人民服务” is a classic revolutionary Chinese phrase meaning “to serve the people.” Lei Feng is legendary historical figure and model citizen / comrade who dedicated his life to serving the people and the Chinese communist party / government.
Chinese mega sports brand 李宁 (Li Ning) has combined the man / myth and the unforgettable phrase in the release of a new limited edition shoe, the “为李宁服务” 雷锋 001 (“To serve Li Ning” Lei Feng 001) – a cheeky play on words that capitalizes on the retro-military look of Lei Feng-era design. A cross between classic and over the top, but carried off with panache.
“为李宁服务” 雷锋 001s are not cheap. A pair will cost you RMB 2800, and that’s only if you can find them.
If you liked these, there is plenty more shoe pornography at Dunk.com.cn to check out. // XD
[Xiao Du (小杜) is a guest contributor on 56minus1]
:: I recently posted about my good friend Helen Lee (Shanghai-based fashion designer behind the brand insh) presenting her new fall / winter collection, MIGRATE, as part of Shanghai’s 2009 Fashion Week. I attended the show and brought my video camera along – below is the view from the cat walk. // AjS
This video is also available on Tudou for faster loading in China.
:: my good friend Helen Lee (of insh) will be presenting her fall / winter collection, MIGRATE, this evening as part of Shanghai’s 2009 Fashion Week. Link here for more details: English / Chinese. Doors open at 7:30. Come hang out with the cool kids. It will be great. // AjS
[photo by Yocky Zhang, photoshoping by 55, clothing design by Helen Lee]
:: the winner of the Danwei + Plastered + Neocha = RMB 888 t-shirt design contest is Li Zengshan of Weihai, Shandong Province. See his design below…and yes, that’s pretty much the way it looks at Danwei.org headquarters.
Mr Li gets 888 yuan courtesy of Plastered T-shirts, and his design will be turned into a T-shirt in the next two weeks to be sold at Plastered stores and online. Thanks very much to all contest participants: if you would like to receive a gift as a token of our appreciation for your efforts, please email your postal address to . // AJS
:: Shanghai’s streetwear scene is about to get a little more crowded. Urban threads superpower Stussy appears to be setting up shop on the corner of Changle Rd. and Shanxi Rd.
I wonder if similar brands will soon be touching down in Shanghai (or Beijing) to take advantage of the growing global demand for streetwear. And will local Chinese consumers react favorably to Stussy’s arrival? There seems to be a lot of growth potential in this market especially with the upcoming 2009 Shanghai X Games happening April 30th – May 3rd.
This follows a recent announcement by high-end streetwear retailer ACU (also located on Changle Rd.) saying it will be closing up shop from early May 2009 until the end of summer / early fall for re-branding and an enhanced sales environment.
Hopefully an official announcement leaks from Stussy soon. //
[ is a guest contributor on 56minus1]
:: Over the weekend I spotted this pair of classic Warrior (回力) tennies while walking up the stairs of my friend’s house (who lives in this old neighborhood). The shoes were his neighbors. Simple, comfortable, classic. // AjS
:: I recently came across yet another brand of revived retro Chinese sneakers called Shulong (舒龙). Like Feiyue, Shulong has apparently also been bought by a French company / entrepreneur and revamped for international consumers, being sold mainly in France and other select locations in Europe.
Despite what appears to be Shulong advertising itself as being around in China since the 30’s (and originally a favorite among local monks), I’ve been unable to find any “pre-hipsterfication” information about the brand. Does anyone know anything more?
At any rate, they are pretty cool and definitely embody a classic Chinese sneaker charm. See below for photos of Shulong’s latest collection. According to Shulong’s Web site, the shoes are available for sale in China (Beijing & Shanghai). For more 56minus1 posts on retro Chinese sneakers, link here, here, here, and here. // AjS
:: for those that don’t know, TaoBao.com is the eBay of China. As with eBay, it’s chock full of listings of more of the same. Sometimes though, something shines through the dross and catches your eye.
An indie design “shop” in Beijing called I Hate You, has done some wonderful work in making their products interesting.
For each product, they do full-on DIY advertisements and actually write some decent copy. The result is much more compelling than the typical, stale product shots on sellers’ coffee tables. I’ve gone ahead and shared some of the ads below. Check out I Hate You’s Taobao shop here. Bravo, well done. // XD
[Xiao Du (小杜) is a guest contributor on 56minus1]
:: I came across this pair of shoes worn by a woman on the subway today in Shanghai. I know Puma has done some cross-branded efforts with BMW (and Ferrari), but this just can’t be the result. Hybrid shanzhai’ing? // AjS
:: this is a follow up to a few previous posts I’ve done on Chinese brand sneakers (here, here, and here). On my way back from (one of my many trips to) the water cooler today, I spotted the office Ayi (custodial staff), Zhang Ayi, sporting these rad trainers. Check them out below. Maybe a hybrid shanzhai’d effort of the and (so cool if so) ? Oh the memories, K’roos’ zip-pocket sneaker design dominate my youth. Two words: milk money. But, who would shanzhai Mizuno? Maybe. Unlikely. At any rate, Zhang Ayi informed me that she purchased these for RMB 20 at a shop in Shanghai on Jiangning Rd. // AjS
