One Pen, No Sword

Lynch + Louboutin

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 18:03:05 +0800

I forgot to write about this when it happened. I dont remember if I was in a daze, on a high, or simply too scatty to organise my time properly. Cat Street gallery recently held an exhibition of photographs by cult director DAvid Lynch featuring shoes from cult shoe designer Christian Louboutin. FETISH was the theme, brought to life by two 'models' in the Lynch photos - blonde nude Parisian dancers - honestly, who could have asked for more on a thusday night?I suspect many of you attended the glamourous FETISH event - which saw spike heeled fashionistas take off their Louboutins to have the iconic fire engine red soles signed by the designer himself. Handbags were also offered, and frankly I'm surprised someone didn't ask him to sign a boob. I certainly tried. Christian revealed to me during our interview that his favourite pair were the siamese black heels, that I hovered around all night. Although this is all kind of old news, I have to share the delightful images with you all. Since I know 2 people with either shoe or foot fetishes, I thought that I would delight them, at the very least. At the VIP On Pedder reception - crowds swarmed to Christian in the tiny space, determined faces of made up women edging hungrily closer to their main man of the evening. This is what FETISH is all about - sexy, impractical, a little dangerous and enjoyed preferably en masse.

beijing beauty x Dior

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:06:16 +0800

Beijing is like an old lover that takes you to her bosom, but not without some punishment for the last time you left her. She has changed in the last two years, since we last had our 4 month trist. She has been remodelled, under the expert hands of governmental plastic surgery... the characteristic old haunts renewed, less authentic but nonetheless more exciting. Her new found international experience renders her more sophisticated, more diverse and a darn sight more savvy to the charms of the lonely editor, running back into her arms. The city is cold, but not unwelcomingly so. The bite of the air is a refreshing change from the suffocating humidity that plagues HK for so much of the year. I came here with our WestEast Men Magazine editor Venice and Art Director Goggo partly for the Dior extravaganza (Charlize Theron, Eva Green and all the works at 798 Art Community...oooh err!) that sought out the hottest contemporary Chinese artists to collaborate, making works to celebrate Dior's legendary reputation for haute couture. . The exhibition space was amazing and the artworks impressed the crowds. The party was a blast, champagne rendering all the WestEast folk, as well as our friend Ada from China Vogue, on an even level of what Goggo calls an "alcohol base". The night ended with friends and founders of Bloc Productions (BJ based) - Sion and Fran taking us to a cute little hutong restaurant near the drum tower, where we ate good food, downed mojitos and drank each others company. The night was fresh, and Beijing, like an old lover revisited should, left me with plenty of expectation for the remainder of my time here. We are organising a whole issue with our guest director Tim Yip- of Oscar winning art director fame in 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon'. We are all inspired by this opportunity and remarkable change of scenery, especially when reflecting over coffee in cosy small cafes, as I am now. As they say "Carpe Diem!" and if you have time try to get the "Noctem" in too.

the endless glamour

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:49:15 +0800

The glamourous life of a fashion editor is not without its high or low points. Meeting Dita Von Teese, Matthew Williamson, Philipp Dodd, Du Juan or Hidetoshi Nakata may count amongst my personal high points... all made possible through my working at WestEast Magazine. Most recently I am looking forward to working with a Oscar winning art director, to direct our next issue of the magazine. I'm left breathless to say the least. There are times when the glamour goes beyond itself, trumps itself, you you like; and spirals into the ridiculous. It is these times for which we should all be grateful, a comic repreive from all that serious creative banter. All the brainstorming and pushing of cultural and artistic boundaries. Olaf and Jessica Mueller of OM studios, a wonderful fashion and commercial photography duo based in HK, threw a little pre-hallowe'en bash last weekend. (Olaf M shot an out there editorial for WestEast Fall issue...) The theme was Hollywood and my dear god was this a spiral from the great heights of fashionable glamour. Civility fell to pieces by the end of the evening, forays were made into amateur nude photography (I was not involved thank you very much) - you would think that HK had learnt its lesson from Edison. If you have never seen a tangle of stylists, make up artists, photographers, art directors and editors in their worst state singing kareoke - I'd highly recommend it. Perhaps it will make you think twice about how glam fashion can be. Heres a few pics for your amusement. Prizes (of the non-material nature) to those who can guess which painted Hollywood diva, famed for her role in Dynasty, I am.

Pants on Fire

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:45:59 +0800

When Djimon Hounsou's semi-naked image appeared on the CK ad covering the whole of the old Ritz Carlton building, it could have caused car crashes, that is if more women drove in Hong Kong. Apart from to illustrate the power of Djimon's raw sexual appeal, the savviness of CK's marketing team, it also seeks to point out that the underpants of a man really do count. I naturally only studied this building so carefully and got arrested trying to scale down the side in the name of market research for WestEast Men - our men's magazine. Naturally. Of course.Often we are focused on the outside, forgetting that what we wrap our 'intimates' in might make a massive difference too. Good quality, soft flattering materials and cut might do more for a body than you think. Ermenegildo Zegna made its name as one of the kings of fine Italian tailoring and fabrics. The brand that launched in New York has made itself one of the foreplayers of the growing men's fashion market. It seems now that it aims, like Calvin Klein, to create a nice niche for itself in the more intimate fashions of a man - underwear.The press release's 'catchy' title: "Understated Style and Warmth Go Hand-in-Hand" tells only a little of the story...after a page of writing outlining its 'understated colours', 'simple style', 'comfortable materials' and 'extra detailing' we are still left with perhaps only 10% of the story. Then we get the CD of images.This simply illustrates the most basic and most touted of points: That a image really is worth a thousand words. click on each picture - they get bigger, if only this was a function in real life. images from Ermenegildo ZegnaJZ is contactable at jing.zhang@westeastmag.com

Shiatzy Chen fashion

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:41:00 +0800

Admittedly, I have been somewhat preoccupied, of late, with Asian chic in fashion. Equally ethnic world inspired designers such as Nigerian Duro Olowu and Ashley Isham at London Fashion Week stirred more of a interest from me. I think I am either having some sort of cultural identity crisis, or something more post modern and existential which results in a longing for the nostaligia that these designers offer with their historical-socio-cultural influences. But before I book myself in for some good old fashioned psychoanalysis... which as a huge fan of both Freud and Jung, I would happily engage in... Here is another little morsel of Asian design that has caught my eye lately. I did not even know this designer existed until I started working at WestEast, but my am I glad to have interviewed her for our FAll issue themed : TAIWAN. Shiatzy Chen's repertoire has been popular for years but a recent surge in promotion and more attention to a youthful following has revived the brand and it's creator and figurehead, Ms. Shiatzy Chen herself. She was both proud and humble and wonderful to listen to, with the demeanor of a kind mother. Her most recent catwalk in MGM Macau attracted celebs and media alike, and showed a fantastic diverse collection where Asian shapes and aesthetics are still strong in high fashion. Here a a couple of my fave looks. Especially impressed with the menswear..and who doesn't like a man in a mandarin collar these days?

The OC - October Contemporary not Mischa Barton

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:15:42 +0800

Art and money have been sneakily and not-so-sneakily making deals since the beginning of time. I guess recent hulla about the relationship between the two was again brought into the limelight with Damien Hirst's record breaking auction at Sotheby's. Reportedly Hirst made a whopping GBP95 million in one auction - now thats not bad for a man who rarely lays a finger on the production of his pieces. Concept is important, but can it really be everything?So it is of a timely co-incidence that this month of October, in Hong Kong at least, we will celebrate non-commercial arts, in a month long art fair titled 'October Contemporary'. My friend Nadim Abbas, who is actually Chinese but has "ambiguous middle eastern heritage" as he puts it, is the project manager of the whole not-so sordid OC affair. He says that OC aims to show what HK (+ Greater China) has to offer in terms of more non-commercial projects, new media arts under this years theme of "ATTR/ACTION". I think that although it possesses less glitz than Christie's, less razzle dazzle than David Tang's projects, it might introduce revolutionary new ideas to a semi-stagnated scene, caught within an economic downturn.At least these artist are more likely to be starving, which if we are honest, is how the public like them - all romance and torture and that shit. With "art" becoming a new beacon of trendsetting life, the endless images of Mao on Hollywood Road in the most culturally imperialist areas of a post colonial HK, seem a little ironic to me. They all soon merge into an endless sea of market-orientated, money hungry projects anyway (bar a few). So for those of you who think its high brow to get pissed on all the free wine at the yearly "Art Walk", hobnob and perv on hot girls whilst momentarily glancing at some paintings on the wall, lets do something different this year.OC has academic talks, performances, exhibitions and parties all around HK - and there will probably be some hot girls lurking around too. The packed opening can be seen on the lifestyle.hk galleries...there was performance art, music but Mischa Barton would have been nice too (maybe you guys can sort something out next year?) COME! See you there, I'll be the one holding the little red book. www.oc.org.hk***This blog is kind of a sneakly little foray into the non-fashion arena, but with fashion label Chloe sponsoring the whole thing, I lay rights to comment. JZ is reachable at jing.zhang@westeastmag.com

Back in the Zone

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:10:13 +0800

After a eventful and tiring 2 weeks in London town, I step back onto the hot hard concrete of Hong Kong. My friends have been getting pregnant and married and the sort and I am still doing things like leaving my shoes in different cities, and getting on the train wearing my slippers. Its no wonder I have to tie things to myself so that I don't loose them. After loosing 2 pairs of sunglasses and a handbag and my shoes, a few of my in show invites and after the last night in London, the reminants of my dignity (which some friends argue was gone ages ago, but I beg to differ), I have made it back in one piece. The shows were entertaining as promised. The wonderful Fashion Fringe was exciting along with Louise Goldin, MAN, Felder Felder, Giles, Vivienne Westwood, Ashley Isham, Eley Kishimoto, John Rocha and a hilarious dragged up Emma Bell show. A Notable celeb-fest at the Natural History Musuem featured Jade Jagger (image), Naomi, a few Brit popstars and a couple of gold medal athletes strutting their stuff on the catwalk for charity 'Fashion for Relief' - Naomi Campbells' pet project.As I arrived for the Westwood show, Pamela Anderson approaches looking amazingly fab is escorted inside by a man in a full white head mask. Talk about making an entrance! Also there was Mischa Barton (who is kind of bigger than expected) and the goddess of burlesque Dita Von Teese (who WestEast Mag are featuring in the winter issue). The crowd was electric to match the awesome RED label collection. That night as I basked in the wake of a great show and waited alone in a bar for my friend to trek from Brixton, I soon learned the dangers of "a bottle of Rose please ... yes that's right, one glass." Billy no mates

sorry folks!

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:36:07 +0800

sorry boys and girls I have had some laptop drama in London, all is fine now and there is so much to tell. Be patient and expect some juicy tit bits on Pamela Anderson, Dita Von Teese (who WE shot for the winter issue) and Donatella Versace as well as the love lives of the young Brit pack. Jing xxx

Day 2: Diane Von Furstenberg

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:35:01 +0800

You know that song that goes "thiiiiings can only get better, can only get better"? Uplifting power ballad of the 90's lends its self to such a variety of situations. Well that how I felt after day 1, and at day 2, it did get better. Not only was the collection a more complex story, centering around a Marlene Dietrich character's mysterious escapades through Berlin, Shanghai and New York, the organisation improved leaps and bounds. People were seated quickly and the show did not take 2 years to start. People were calm and collected, there was no slicing each other open with their Mastercard credit cards just to get to seats.Diane Von Furstenberg is a legendary icon in fashion, Queen of the wrap dress and embassador of a bold femininity, now with Brit star Nathan Jenden behind the helms as Creative Director, a breath of fresh air has revived this classic label. The appropriately titled 'Foreign Affair' show took complimentary layers in silky and soft and combined them with sharper military edge. The look was a femme 1920s-40s style, with glowing skin, blushing cheeks and wave set hair. Glamourous spy novels came to mind; all whispers and long shadows cast by smoke from cigarettes and angular trenchcoated figures in dark misty alleyways. Art Deco beckoned with shapely sequinned dresses that fell flatteringly mid-thigh.And true to theme, Parisian models from IMG that were flown over to HK especially for the Mastercard Luxury Week provided an injection of ooomph on the catwalk. Short haired bleach blondes and huge-lipped doe-eyed European girls gave us diversity, but of course our HK favourites, our catwalk stables, Rosemary, Eunis and Lisa S also worked some hip-swinging magic.Sulky frown was indeed turned upside down. JZ reachable at : jing.zhang@westeastmag.com

Mastercard Luxury Week day 1: Jean Paul Gaultier

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:34:36 +0800

not a bad representation of the night... I drew it myself with my own camera. The hot blonde is obviously me.Having decided to go to only one show a day so I can actually get some work done this week. Good good, I thought...a hard days work will be rewarded with 2 glasses of champagne and a fashion show I can enjoy and write about.Apparently the opening show Jean Paul Gaultier was not so much success, as complete chaos. I haven't heard so many journalists agree on one thing in a long time. The sexy safari inspired collection and supermodel Emma Pei opening the show, was almost completely escued by the fact that some PR brainiac decided to shovel press - editors of major publications no less - around in the photographers pit for 45mins until the seating began. Needless to say, we left for a drink at Blue Bar instead. I cracked up laughing when a JPG girl pointed out what the Mastercard girl upstairs had called the "press seating area". Rama (editor of Prive) and I allowed our eyes to follow her finger to the dingy gap between the seating blocks and the photographers mess, from which no one could even hope to see the tops of models heads let alone the collection. I know we editors are know to be pedantic but isn't this level of semantic violation actually a betrayal of reality?In design there is a term called 'negative space', where nothing at all happens, left blank to give effect to the space filled with content. I believe this JPG girl was referring to negative space. People do not like space that is called 'negative', and it can never hope for good press.Those of us who took time out of closing our publications (hundreds and hundreds of pages)to be hearded around like cattle for an hour and not even offered a seat to watch the bloody thing, are not happy campers this morning. Calls of complaint have been shooting from publications to PR agencies to fashion brands involved. But for comedic effect if nothing else, WE ALL MUST MAKE THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION. We didn't walk out, we saw a single spare seat and headed towards it. 2 bums but 1 seat - what do to?Rama sits down first and pats his knee. I sit on his lap and get comfortable. A few murmurs around.... and he whispers in my ear, "If you feel anything moving, just go with the flow....." JZ is reachable at jing.zhang@westeastmag.com

fashion money fashion

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:20:28 +0800

So we all wait expectantly for how this years Mastercard FAshion Week, Hong Kong will turn out. It will be my first one and since Mastercard also sponsor what used to be called New York Fashion Week, that will commence in Sept, I am gagging to see what Hong Kong has to offer. So celeb wise, I will be bring you the low down on who was where. Instead of intrepid sightings of SJP and Scarlet Johanasson, I will be looking out for Qi Qi, a Hariela or two and the Twins girl who escaped the Edison shame. To be honest with you all, after fashion weeks in other countries most HK presentations just don't cut it... I mean just because you have a few bottles of champagne does not mean that its suddenly a luxury event, especially if its held in a mall or any other sterile public place. So I will be going to the much anticipated Jean Paul Gaultier show tonight...and since I already love him, this will put me in a good mood. ALso coming that I may attend is BCBG, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan (because of that Cuban themed Kate Moss campaign...too hot for words), Diane Von Furstenberg and KENZO. And then there is the amazing Oscar de la Renta and something garun-TEED to get your blood flowing - or at least that of the particular breed of model that manage the 'Corpse' look all too well - the LA PERLA show. Boys.. I suggest you carry a large folder or bag to this event...and take a cold shower afterwards. For those of you going to the Mastercard week, I suggest you read Bret Easton Ellis' 'Glamorama' throughout the week... the ludicrous plot follows a vapid male model who surreptitiously, between glasses of champagne and illict sex, falls into a terrorist organization. It will give you another outlook on the whole affair... and leave you wondering if behind those emtpy eyes, our models really are trying to take over the world because its just so hard to deal with the hopelessness of it all. At least it'll make the shows more interesting.

Poolside

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:22:19 +0800

The Taipei trip was somewhat of a rush, whilst photographer Jeff and I were rushed from one tourist spot to the other by our senile freelance guide from the Taiwanese tourism board, we also had to co-ordinate a mountain of content, interviews, possible shoots and days when the lighting would be 'just right' to shoot the city of Taipei.Poor Jeff had to make Taipei look good from ground level. Taipei is not a pretty city as I said earlier... kind of HK in the 80s. A bit dirty and rough around the edges but the people and the culture make up for all of that... and the good surf and hot springs too. There is no bullshit with the Taiwanese. When I was partying, talking to shop people or just having a relaxing dinner and drinks, I was distinctly aware of the remarkable 'naturalness' of the people here. Hardly any pretenses in this relatively egalitarian society. If only HK were this lucky... but I guess we are too busy dieting and wondering which photo best captured the true size of Edison's manhood (yes people are still talking about that). Our stay at the Shangrila was a dream...not least because of the rooftop pool at the Shangri-la's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel. So nice infact that Jeff and I took a break from waking at the on-godly hour of 8am - just to fit in the buffet breakfast before we were charperoned. The last day was spent on the roof, scanning over Taipei's urban sprawl from this gorgeous location..lounging on the deck chairs and pretending to work. Check out some of our working poses. Jeff's hair is huge in this photo, but he just got it cut and it looks hot.

Taipei Tales

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:08:45 +0800

In a conversation I had last month with Oscar winning art director of ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ Tim Yip, I discovered that he moved from HK to Taipei early on in his career because of its interesting and liberating arts scene.WE all decided that it was about time I saw a little of what he was talking about. I have been in Taipei since Thursday for a week of working here. Although I missed my flight (ahem-lateness and mishap with names and spellings), photographer Jeff Hahn and I managed to get a later one and land unharmed but slightly nervous after a China Airlines flight into Taipei. Now that China and Taiwan have opened up direct flights for the first time, cross-straits exchanges are going to become more common and deeper than before. Being from the mainland, I have always had a fascination for Taiwan, but have never been to this country- the homeland of my boss and the sister office of WestEast that creates WE People – our other magazine. I finally met my lovely Taiwanese collegues yesterday for lunch at an amazing little place near their office! Taipei is not the most beautiful city certainly, but do not let this put you off. Unlike Hong Kong, I found that Taipei life showed a good variety of different scenes showing a good amount of indifference, with less people posing and more fun to be had… quite a relaxing change from HK. My friend Guy, who works for Swire in Taipei, showed us the ropes of Taipei nightlife and took us to ‘bed’ –the bar that is, then the posher ‘Barcode’ and club ‘Room18’ all of which come highly recommended for some good times. Our sweet guide from Taiwanese tourism is in her 60s. She is a darling but has absolutely no clue about what Jeff and I want to do around the city – bless her heart – but I think we are using a tour different strategy now. We are staying the Shangrila and trying to discover the nuances of this complex and creative city. The culture here is a curious mix of very traditional Chinese culture, Americana and Japanese culture. Relatively untouched by the Cultural Revolution, Taiwan preserved many of the Chinese traditions that China failed to. Amongst the fringes, and less tainted by commerce than the Chinese or Hong Kong markets, there is an interesting contemporary Taiwanese arts scene. I’m also interviewing Shiazty Chen – Taiwan’s super designer, and Demos Chiang – Chiang Kai Shek’s very handsome great grandson who has become a trendsetter and design leader in Taipei.Cannot wait. â�~º

HI HO HI HO, It's off to work we go

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:09:33 +0800

So I will venture into an area of fashion that generally bores me to tears. Office fashions. The office by nature is a boring place. And office dress, like most uniforms, is again by nature supposed to be kind of boring. Conformist, professional, smart yet same-y so that everyone feels comfortable whatever his or her stylistic disabilities, apparently. The truth is far from this.As I walk to work everyday I see some pretty slick outfits… people in HK invest in their office attire. Many a sharp figure has been cut across my path - gym tight bums in sharp creaseless Zegna cloth. (See images) I work on Wyndham Street, and I must confess that my own office attire is relatively unrestricted. I can wear flats, casual clothes and thankfully not bound by a suit in this burning heat. I saunter into Central in weird shoes and asymmetric dresses and really no one bats an eyelid. This is one of the best things about working in fashion and publishing… no suits.I am however treated to a kaleidoscope of office attire variations on the escalator. It’s the women of course who do mad office dress the best. I have seen women in suits so strange that it looks like they bought a perfectly good suit from Armani, put it on and thrown themselves headfirst into the reject bin of a factory that specializes in glittered goods. Where is the world coming to when hot pants can be worn to the office with 5inch heels and a cheap top from Wanko, or other inappropriately named clothing label. Are we soliciting more than that big PR contract from the bank… or is the Republican Convention in town?I must say that although it might offend a sense of style, it does tickle me pink to see these 'inventive' concoctions on people who most likely work in insurance. In fact… what am I saying? We should be celebrating these ingenious anecdotes to a flat sea of black; navy blue and charcoal grey, not poking fun. contactable at: jing.zhang@westeastmag.comwww.westeastmag.com

A Man and his Shoes

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:27:36 +0800

Bally The summer heat is almost unbearable, and whilst women frolic in their glamourous sandals and summer dresses, I feel sorry for the working man, who toils onwards, bound by the confines of the suit and tie, dress shoes and sweaty shirts.Yesterday I met a man wearing jeans and sandals - surprisingly it looked kind of sexy and stylish. I’m no shoe nazi but there is some truth to being able to tell something about the man from his shoes. This specific pair, belonged to a very handsome Chinese designer (straight too! Shock horror!) guy, and appeared a modern version of Jesus creeper – roman gladiator type sandals. Like him, the shoes were stylish (made from thick brown leather) and masculine but with a hint homoeroticism that is also attractive for women.Dior Homme and Gianfranco Ferre (below) do some hot hot shoes, as does Comme des Garcons and Viktor & Rolf. Armani, D & G, Bally (above), Lacoste, and of course you can’t beat Tod’s, Hogans and Ferragamos. Shoes for men are more of a stable and serious fashion statement than for women. Women are fickle with shoes, bar a couple of old favourites, most women go through shoes like a kid with ADHD goes through toys. Each pair satisfies greatly but usually only temporarily, and not without a certain amount of pain. For a man though, shoes root him, they stablize, they style and they subtly hint to would-be mates, a sense of the man inside them. I guess the message is that a good shoe is definitely worth the investment…and even Jesus creepers (the right kind) can look good on a man with careful consideration and a pedicure (please no mangled claws for toes).Because men can be a little short sighted at times, and the foot is the furthest from the eye, I thought it timely to give all men a little reminder in the summer seasons. Please do not neglect this area of your body... or what you wear on them.You know what they say about a man with Big feet………. That’s right, baby. Big shoes. Gianfranco Ferrecontactable at: jing.zhang@westeastmag.com

And ... it's a Wrap!

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:59:22 +0800

We have been busting our butts in the office as of one month ago to close the Summer Issue of WE. Although we are a quarterly publication, deadline is deadline and it is always a rush…we are journalists after all. The issue will be delivered tomorrow or monday so will be in shops in HK (Dymocks, HMV and PAge One mostly) very very soon.“Home from Home” is the theme for our latest issue of WE (it’s a corker – watch out for a very sexy swimwear shoot and a steamy shoot entitled ‘ONE ROOM, SEVEN NIGHTS’ – by Wing Shya (Wong Kar Wai’s genius photographer) and Sean K. It is a particularly pertinent issue because, like our ‘GlobalizAsian’ spring issue, it references the new lifestyles of Hong Kong society. This city is know for its internationalism, its position as a financial centre in Asia, touted for its excellent infrastructure, commerce, economy and cultural/ethnic diversity (as the tourism board would have us believe). These qualities also make it a place where people often question the concept of HOME. Many of you will spend a considerable amount of time travelling for business and pleasure, in Hotels and Resorts or second homes in other countries. My boss Kevin spends so much time jetsetting around the world, that I have called his cell only to find him randomly in Bhutan or Turkey! As a result, the multi-lingual, multi-cultural will usually be the multiple-homed. Having talked to the likes of Hidetoshi Nakata, who constantly travels all year round, the last 3 months the WE office has been exploring whether Dorothy was right? that “There’s no place like Home!”Our conclusions to the matter? Well, I'm not giving it away that easy. I think you have to buy the magazine ;) hehe

HK's national sport

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:15:29 +0800

Shopping. Despite the Beijing Olympics fobbing off the Equestrian sports to us, believe it or not Shopping is still our national sport. HK is such a haven of commercial activity, I don’t believe that I have seen anywhere in the world like it. I know that in Dubai, designer shops will be crowded morning to night, and that in Thailand, massive night markets are the centre of frenetic shopping activity, but no such place combines both the high-fashion and the street level so well and so much as HK. Its sale season, so we kind of get a guilt free pass for the next few weeks. Rob a bank, sell your grandma, collect the proceeds for some retail therapy - its all in the name of good sportsmanship, right?So here’s a little guide to the best spots around town for all your needs:- Gifts for others abroad: Shanghai Tang and G.O.D. – full of good quality China chic items popular with gweilos and locals alike. Oh so stylish. - Quickfixes – Causeway Bay streets, Muji, Espirit, H&M (zzzzz..), Zara (good basics), Club Monaco, www.izzue.com, EQ:IQ, Guess, Pedder Red (amazing)- Huge shopping raids: On Pedder, Joyce for special items, Lane Crawford for almost everything, Harvey Nics for older clientele who want a good brunch during said raid - Cosmetics and skincare: Red Earth, Clarins, Chanel, YSL, La Mer (my favourite), Kiehls, Benefit, Stella McCartney - “It” items: On Pedder, Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu- Outfits that people will be talking about next year: Dior, Burberry Prorsum, Louis Vuitton, YSL- Lingerie: Eres, Kiki de Montparnasse, La Perla, Christian Dior, D&G, Agent Provocateur (all at Lane Crawford) and if you have any money left over, you can go to Wellcome buy some tofu and green tea, call it a 'diet' and attempt to fit in all purchases from above shops.

Shanghai Chic

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:54:31 +0800

Here is a worthwhile fashion fix:I received the Shanghai Tang press release in the office today. Now, I get a lot of press releases everyday, generally they are a bore. We either use them to make paper aeroplanes or for substitute paper once our loo roll has run out (joking folks – were not animals!). Mostly, I will do a quick scan and throw it on the pile. This pile was once probably two acres of the Amazon drenched in several buckets of ink. However, I always take a closer look at the Shanghai Tang one, for several reasons. This was David Tang’s baby and one of the only HK fashion brands known internationally that has recently undergone somewhat of a transformation from a classic renowned Chinoiserie to a diverse lifestyle brand that is experimenting with new concepts. I just returned from the press luncheon at an amazing location in Wan Chai.Maybe it’s the Olympics but am I the only one feeling a certain stylistic nationalism these days?Here’s a selection of 4 of my favourite looks from their recent Beijing catwalk show, where they used the likes of Chinese supermodel waif Emma Pei. The show was a great success; bringing the Chinese brand back into China. This season’s collection appeared as the follow-up to the last 'Apsara' SS 08 collection, which was light, bright, young and airy. The AW offering is grown up with sophisticated silhouettes and serious colours, we still get the flash of wonderful Chinese Cheong Sam silk, but in general the collection shows that Shanghai Tang has moved far beyond just China Chic into a league of its own. Gold ingots provided basic pattern types, and meticulous details were used in the newer more abstract interpretations of Chinese symbols and included a couple of stunning LBDs.I remembered interviewing the Executive Chairman for the last issue of W.E. Mag, who was there at today's event - hosted by their always lovely Joyce Hu. My fashion tastebuds were tingled, as they revealed the newest style revival courtesy of Shanghai Tang's exciting new head designer.

Colour Co-ordination

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:50:07 +0800

The trip in Japan, where physical beauty of our surroundings are of utmost importance, whether its fashion, architecture or design, has made me rethink that age old issue of colour co-ordination. Fashion magazines have made a killing inundating us with pages upon pages of colour co-ordination tips. And realistically, it’s usually the same old recycled crap, just like those tips on “how to make a man fall in love with you.” Now WestEast Magazine does not report on such a level, so I’m stepping completely out of bounds here. We all know that deep green goes well with deep purple, especially enticing if you have red hair, and that blondes usually wear blue better.Why, some will have moved beyond the basic rules of putting together colours to using clashing colours with grace and an eclectic natural style. I love the bold 70s prints, although not too psychedelic please, and am a big fan of fuschia and orange on the right person. Tan looks good on tans, but be very careful of the shades between own skin and the tan item. We don’t want to look like we have made Donatella into a dress now, do we? An art director/producer friend of mine called Lui has a super cool black and white motif going, on his clothes and in his flat. The tiles, the doors, the sink, the bed all match, and it looks pretty awesome. Even the cat matches... maybe this was the inspiration, I checked for paint lines on the kitty's fur and I assure you, Lui did not go Queen of Hearts on it.Another friend of mine, Joe went one step further. When I was back in London last year I stayed at St. Martin’s Lane hotel – Philippe Stark designed with contemporary neon colours. This is what Joe turned up in for breakfast (see image below). Now, he says that it was just a co-incidence, and that the neon yellow glow jacket is for road safety when he rides on his bike. But who is he kidding???... No one in their right mind; or of his complexion would knowingly wear that shade of yellow, unless there was some other wierd agenda.Well done Joe, you matched my hotel room doorway marvellously!

Lost in Trans - oh no wait I found it.

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:47:42 +0800

I'm currently what the boys and girls at lifestyle.hk like to call 'tipsy', but between you and me, my dears, I'm two steps to the left of hammered. I just got back from 8 days of Tokyo work and play. My waist hurts from awkward mal-timed bowing and I swear I almost knocked someone out with one. I think I deserved a drink or two. Tokyo was thouroughly illuminating. Such a wierd and wonderful place to be...I'm infact thinking of spending a few months there in the future, learn the language, culture and eat copious amounts of sashimi. As I told you in the last blog, I moved to the Peninsula. I spent ages soaking in the amazing baths there (possibly the best hotel chain ever) and had a ball with my friends Ming, Asuza and Cathy; met with ND Chow one of our amazing photographers and even WestEast's French intern Philippe showed up for 2 days. We ate good traditional Japanese food, and marvelled at the ability of the Japanese to be so politely conservative sober and such wildcats once a beer has been consumed... its almost as if they were British! (the city's a beautiful madhouse.. I hugely recommend a visit.) Now, the sight of two wankered Japanese businessmen stubbling around the streets of Roppongi embracing each other, only for one to go "in for the kill" and passionately kiss the other, is a sight I shall never in my life forget. It's absolutely true - All decorum goes out the window, once polite people have had one too many. So many things become excusable when intoxicated, no?Although I'm not technically in Japan so cannot use that old "When in Rome...", excuse.. I will shed my clothes and my civility at this point and pass out in bed shortly, without so much as making a real point in this blog entry. Forgive my rudeness and goodnight folks ;)

BIG in JAPAN

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:30:30 +0800

konichiwa y'all!In short - Tokyo is f*ucking cool. Last time I was here was in Nov for a Emilio Pucci event with other Asian fashion press but we didn't really have much time to wear in our walking boots so to speak. Shibiya is youth culture paradise, as is trend central Harajuku, immortalised into the minds of American teens by Gwen Stefani - and for your information - they do have "the wicked style." Kids here are stylin'! ITs a weird culture of non-conformist ideals and styles in one of the most conformist societies in the world. Since I don't speak Japanese, I am for once speechless and have been limited to "hai"s, "ei"s and "arigato"s which I repeat quite often, intermitted with bows of varying angles. They dont get me very far.I'm in Tokyo with Maison Mode Magazine, that WE also do, to interview Ms Hanae Mori, a famous Japanese designer, this woman has been doing haute couture since the 50s, after once having a fitting in Chanel and meeting Madame Coco herself. Hanae Mori is truely a slice of 'West meets East' fashion history and has won awards from both the French and the Japanese government! I'm meeting her tomorrow - very exciting!I've been staying at the Cerulean Tower Tokyo Hotel (fantastic staff), in Shibuya and move to the stunning Tokyo Peninsula in Ginza tomorrow, for a taste of ultimate luxury. If the HK Peninsula is the colonial colossus, then the Tokyo one is a true contempory mix of Japanese aesthetics imposed onto the Pen design identity. Cannot wait...afternoon tea anyone?Keep in check for my next post, I should have by that time:- met Hidetoshi Nakata the ex-footballer celebrity for a little chat on our summer issue inspired by his jetset lifestyle- embarassed myself at Kareoke Japan style- been to a Chemistry party at the Cancer Research Institue (my friend Ming works there)- who says I don't do testubes?- scoured the wierd red light districts of Tokyo, of which I have an un-natural fascination.There's plenty of opportunity for mischief, non? ;)

Cutting Corners, how not to do it.

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:18:05 +0800

In the shadow of the US Sub Prime crisis and a looming worldwide recession, as many economies believe; corporations are finding more and more ways to cut down spending. Whether it’s hiring less, paying less, or restructuring, there are some pretty indecent ways of cutting corners when corporate is concerned. An Editor friend of mine, who shall remain nameless, recently told me of a hilarious, totally true and frankly unbelievable strategy in a luxury lifestyle magazine that shall also remain nameless, when he worked there some years ago. The central character of this story is a toilet roll. Despite the company charging in the tens of thousands of HK dollars per single AD, there was a brief period where it allocated each of its employee’s a little goody box at the start of every month. This wasn’t some gift box with a collection of candles, sweets and letters of thanks, instead it was an ‘individual allocated resources box’ with one toilet roll, a box of paper clips and other such rationed stationary supplies that we all take for granted. These supplies were taken out from general storage areas…and would not be replenished if used out within that month. I don’t think such penny pinching has been seen since World World II!!!…could this be a sign of times to come should the de-stablising effects of a troubled US economy hit Hong Kong hard in the future? Was it a side effect of SARs and the Asian Financial Crisis? Who knows? Who cares? All I’m saying is that no matter how posh your company seems, I suggest you start stealing a stash of toilet roll now, if not for fear, then for fun. It gives a new meaning to “saving your ass” from the next financial downturn.

Loving London Fashion

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:31:33 +0800

Having called London my home for 6 years, I must admit I am biased. It might not have the glitz of Paris, the street chic of New York, Tokyo’s restlessness, nor the sheer industrial power of Milan; but there is really no city like London. My last visit there was in Feb for the Autumn/Winter 08 fashion week, where the UK’s brightest fashion talents showed back-to-back. My friends laughed at me for riding ‘The Fashion Bus’… yeah seriously that’s what it was called, but I had the last laugh when I told them that I had accidentally popped into Harvey Weinstein’s infamous BAFTAs afterparty at my lovely hotel. London knows how to throw a good party, but Weinstein knows how to throw a better one.I’ve already kissed Vivienne Westwood’s ass in my interview but seriously I would have flown all the way just to see her incredible show – miniskirts and military galore! And Who was that stunning creature of androgyny who close the show in tiny pants and a big attitude? My date looked noncholant as I practically hyperventilated as Queen Vivienne did her strut around the circuit. I was left in awe, red in the face and almost dateless. London is where you come to be wowed and shocked! My great stylist friend Stevie Westgarth worked on the amazing Spijker en Spijker show (hot blonde designer twins) that had the best catwalk soundtrack on top of their fab show (post-punk catwalks are very cool). We were also very impressed with TOPSHOP New Generation designers such as the up-and-coming Christopher Kane, youngster Ashley Isham, as well as more established acts John Rocha and Julien Macdonald. Ethical fashion turned heads for the season, and although its legs are still young and shaky, like a fashion Bambi, it will surely find stronger footing next season with celebrity backing and growing ethical commerce in the UK.The fashion headquarters, so to speak, lay on the grounds of the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, and on the more sunny days, there could not have been a better location. There were boys who looked like girls, girls who looked like boys.... and at night times I would play with old friends in new haunts. London will always be a leader of revolutions; this was after all the birthplace of punk. Don’t let that stiff upper lip fool you. Its designers have resilience, grit and that rather sexy don’t give a f*ck attitude. So, until next time folks… * For my full LFW report – check out WE Mag # 24, Spring 08- GlobalizAsian Issue out now!www.londonfashionweek.comwww.westeastmag.com

Many Pens and a Few Swords

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:29:44 +0800

During tight deadlines in that rush to go to print, editing can at times seem a thankless task, but then something comes along and makes you remember otherwise. A gathering of journalists usually means that the bar runs dry very quickly, but in a rare event of international journalistic sophistication at an Asian publishing awards dinner, I'm happy to report back some good news!Our lovely WestEast Publishing won BEST COVER and BEST MAGAZINE DESIGN (joint win between the 3 issues of WestEast Mag in the picture) at the Society of Publishers Asia (SOPA) Awards '08! Other winners that came out big where South China Morning Post, Ming Pao, The Straits Times, Financial Times and International Herald Tribune. It made us all at WestEast very happy, especially since we also won the IFRA Asia bronze award for BEST SPECIAL ISSUE last month in Macau. (the pictures is of my features editor Ren with the first SOPA award)Special guest of the gala awards dinner was noted HK journalist Ching Cheong, who was jailed and eventually released by the Chinese Government over charges of spying. He made a moving speech on press freedom and reminded us that we shouldn’t rely on sole agents to fight our causes for us.All in all, the event at the Marriott was a great success, and a great opportunity for all the Asian press to get together for a chinwag over some food and wine. There was stiff competition between the newspaper press. I’m not sure if the swords were drawn, but there was definitely some pen-waving, especially by that one loud drunk guy at the FT table .For all the complaining that journalists might to… you gotta LOVE this industry sometimes!www.westeastmag.com

About FACE

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:50:26 +0800

Are we entering an era of celebrity designers? And as with all celebrity cultures how has the attractiveness of the designer come to matter?High fashion has gone from niche-market-luxe-living to a middle-class heavyweight industry… inducted into pop culture and celeb stardom. Just recently did Bally fly their gorgeous ex-model-cum celebrity design director Brian Atwood over to their event in HK, much to the delight of Asian editors and media, who worked themselves up into a bit of a frenzy.If Marc Jacobs has taught us anything, it’s that one can really transform from emaciated Jarvis Cocker look-a-like to a toned and tanned stud in one single year - a physical transformation that has done major favours for his brand popularity. And now not only is he gracing the covers of magazines, his New York Fashion week show is so anticipated you’d think it was the second coming of Christ. Soon we could be hungrily delving into fashion designers’ maybe less than fashionable love lives. Relishing in their drunken mishaps, double chins, secret love children and rumoured cocaine addictions. Of course there will be the 'accidentally' leaked sex tape (lets hope its not Donatella's!)God, it’s like we got bored with the politicians. Or if you’re Carla Bruni, you can vigourously do both ;)

Fashion as a Social Lubricant?

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:43:08 +0800

How often have you wondered whether there was a point to fashion? Since Iedit a fashion magazine (WestEast...for those in the know) I get asked thisall the time, by my friends outside the industry, and I have a number ofsmooth well-rehearsed answers at hand (personal expression, creativity,aesthetics, manipulation of social structures...blah blah). But a more recentacquisition of mine (or steal should I say, as I did indeed just that) isthat fashion is a "social lubricant." Indeed it might be THE sociallubricant of Hong Kong.Why are nearly all big social events in Hong Kong somehow linked to afashion brand? Even bagging big international acts that normally wouldn¹tshake a tail feather at Hong Kong remember Kanye West and Louis Vuitton¹sepic party, and John Mayer and Coaches recent collaboration? If it's notDiesels pulling the punches with yet another massive party, it's the likesof Piaget (whose Heart to Heart Party was an absolute blast, mini Moets andall) who provide the venue, the champagne (crucial) and the DJ for somemidnight fun.Despite the initially stiffness, that can either last 5 minutes or the wholenight, depending on the quality of organisation, amount of alcohol consumed,and the "fun factor" of the crowd; the events usually melt into fun fillednights. Shy Hong Kongers and the trendy international crowd suddenly have avenue bigger than a shoebox which lets be honest, is the size of most barshere to dance, talk and flirt.I supposed we should be thanking these fashion labels for the style and thesavvy that the creative industry can throw together and definitely for thechampagne, air-conditioning. Even for the escape from the monotony of LKFevery weekend.And if they weren't doing it, then who would be?Who knows, we may have Pocari Sweat Dance-Offs, Swire Hip Hop Battles andHong Kong Land Speed Dating to look forward too.Maybe even a special Stanley Ho fun zone! - Oh sorry I forgot we already have that I think its called Macau.

SATC in HK?

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:23:13 +0800

Last night I went to see the much anticipated Sex and the City movie with another editor friend of mine. Don't worry I wont spoil it for you all…Despite lukewarm reviews in the US, I must say I was entirely entertained. Anticipated designers, iconic dresses and Carrie's wardrobe, which really is a character in itself, pull out all the stops for this big screen debut. This is New York fashion in its finest, fashion houses with vintage, the awkward artsy-ness of Miranda's outfits, Charlotte's preppy Upper East Side princess wardrobe, Samantha's outrageous outfits and Carrie's well planned, layered combination of 'look-at-meeee' and 'don't-look-at-me' items. And what about Hong Kong, ever thought what they would be wearing had the series been set in our city? Granted vintage has not really taken off, and many people are more interested in the label rather than the rest of the outfit (it doesn't matter if it says LV, Armani or whatever; if it's ugly, it's ugly – you know who you are!). But what do you think these specific 4 characters would be wearing if SATC had been a HK thing?Here are my thoughts, feel free to add your own!:Carrie: nearly all designer clothes from press/sample sales since journalist salaries in HK are no comparison to NY. Raids Island Beverly and that one mall in TST for some independent labels with very impractical outfits. Loves On Pedder. Occasionally blows savings at Lane Crawford, Harvey Nics, or Joyce…blames it on the psychologists that design the goddamn stores. Samantha: Does not do the smaller branches, only flagship stores. Loves Joyce Boutique. Underwear from la Perla, Agent Provocateur and Kiki de Montparnasse. Has chauffeur and 3 maids so shops a LOT. Miranda: Causeway Way independent designers, mixed with colourful Lane Crawford purchases. Loves I.T. Goes to Horizon Plaza to find non-lawyer designer clothes that don't bust the bank. Charlotte: Chanel, Chanel and more Chanel…she best friend with the PRs. Was probably involved in Chanel's Mobile Art exhibition. Loves the Marc Jacobs in Landmark…and has that annoying (Anya Hindmarch) 'I'm not a plastic bag' Bag.