2008 Jul 10 Shanghai Tang fashion show at the Legation Quarter
images courtesy of Shanghai Tang
As we gear up for the Olympics, more new buildings and lavish venues are rushing to take advantage of the global attention that the games will focus on Beijing – although it seems not all of them are going to make the August deadline. After a hastily arranged art opening back in May, the Legation Quarter revealed a more composed and ready-to-meet-the-world version of itself late last month when it invited Beijing's glitterati around for the unveiling of Shanghai Tang's 2008 Autumn Winter collection. Over 400 people, including film star Zhou Xun, American director Andy Tennant and photo artist Xiao Huiwang attended what was the label's first international event in Beijing.
The striking setting certainly complemented what turned out to be a fairly striking collection. Entitled Luck, the collection draws on one of Chinese culture's most auspicious symbols. However, it successfully merged the strong traditions of Chinese culture with a distinctly wearable set of threads. Highlights included the streamlined '50s inspired dresses with gold lurex detailing, the sleek black dresses with exposed backs, and the snug woolen capes. It also signaled the debut of Central Saint Martins' graduate Joseph Li, who takes the post of Women's Ready-to-wear head designer.
As well as looking in much better shape, more of the Legation Quarter's venues are now open. The classy French restaurant Maison Boulud a Pekin run by celebrity chef Daniel Boulud, is now open for business and you can get a peek inside the kitchen here care of Time's China Blog writer Simon Elegant. Keep an eye on the blog and the upcoming August issue of the Beijinger for a review of Maison Boulud.
Links and Sources
Shanghai Tang
Legation Quarter
Urbane: Quarterlife
SMH: Restored Qing Dynasty street not ready for Olympics
Youtube: maison boulud beijing
You might also be interested in :
Land on Nuandao: Holiday Pop-up Store Today in Gulou
Nuandao first hit our radar last month, when it drew massive hipster crowds to its creative party of pop-up stores. The bilingual Beijing-based design blog has been quietly operating for about six months, publishing regular content on local brands, designers and events, while racking up quite a loyal fan base (350,000 followers on China’s Tumblr, DianDian, to be exact).
Yesterday, Nuandao announced its official soft launch to the public for the first time. The new-and-improved website also features e-commerce services. According to the press release, we can expect a carefully curated selection of well-designed products, some exclusive to Nuandao and “handpick[ed] for their authenticity, originality and style.”
Shopping Spree! Win USD 100 on ShopWeShip.com
For non-Americans, Black Friday may require some explanation. You may already know that in the US, Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This year, that falls on November 24, 2011. (Click here for the first of many turkey guides on our blog). Black Friday is the name for the day after Thanksgiving, which marks the busiest shopping day of the year as well as the official inauguration of the Christmas season.
Imagine a day where stores open their doors as early as 4am (this year, several major retailers are starting out at midnight), and impatient shoppers wait in massive lines that snake into the parking lot. Does this sound like your greatest nightmare? Well, we forgot to mention its biggest draw: shopping deals and discounts beyond your wildest dreams. And now, even those of us living in Beijing can take advantage.
Flea Markets to Jump On
The heating is turning on officially in a matter of days, which means the holiday season is just around the corner. Thanksgiving is coming up in a couple weeks, and right after that, Christmas!
What’s that? You haven’t gotten started shopping for gifts yet? No worries. These next couple weekends, Beijing is sure to be a little more fun than usual. We see flea markets far too infrequently here, and now we are being treated to handful of them at once. But without further ado, here are the ones to look out for.
Insider’s Tour of “Culture Chanel” Exhibition
Following in the footsteps of Louis Vuitton and Bulgari – which launched retrospective exhibitions at Beijing's National Museum of China in June and September, respectively – Chanel is hosting "Culture Chanel" at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) from November 5 to December 13.
For China’s growing nouveau-riche population, the House of Chanel hits the mark in many ways. It’s French (read: highbrow), longstanding (read: reliable) and bears an iconic (read: easily recognizable) logo. No wonder it is currently ranked as the second most-desired brand in China after Louis Vuitton, according to research firm Bain & Co.
China Fashion Week: Pretty Cars, Clothes and People
Whew. Beijing has seen a flurry of store openings, fashion shows and big-name visitors in these last couple weeks – and the Beijinger has the inside scoop and photos right here.
