2012 Jan 09 Atelier: Ed Hung
NLGX Design Store started out as a coffee shop that happened to sell T-shirts. Now nearly four years later, the local brand has evolved into a full-fledged apparel and design community. This month, they launch a much-awaited new store at the airport, as well as a new line (Kommute) designed specifically for Beijing’s bicycle commuter lifestyle. We spoke with co-founder Ed Hung about spandex, and the good and bad of a gentrified Nanluogu Xiang.
On the early days of NLGX Design
“We always thought: We’re in China, so it should be really cheap to make a nice garment. But it was a lot of work to find manufacturers that would produce good quality in small quantities. There was a lot of trial and error, but we modeled our brand after what represented the neighborhood at the time: the clash between East and West, the young urban professionals and the local Chinese.”
On the development of Nanluogu Xiang
“After the debacle at Houhai, lots of foreigners and local Chinese alike were ripping on the area – it was unregulated, the bars were open till 3-4am, the neighbors were always complaining and there was trash everywhere. Nanluogu Xiang was the first hutong area that was closely managed.
“ There’s good and bad. The good is that the Chinese view it as a success, and they’re applying the same model to lots of other parts of Beijing. It gave birth to Wudaoying and Guozijian. It’s not like Qianmen, where all the original residents were pushed out. Generally, I think it’s been quite successful.”
On the concept behind Kommute
“It’s become cool again to ride a bicycle. [Co-founder] Michele and I both bike to work everyday. Beijing is the bicycle kingdom. Although the trend kind of shifted to cars and, more recently, e-bikes, I think a lot of young urban professionals are going back to bicycles.
“You don’t want to look like you’ve just been riding a bike when you stroll into the office or a bar. You don’t want to be wearing spandex or a helmet. With Kommute, you don’t have to. Functionality with style is at the forefront of our debut collection.”
Kommute will be sold at NLGX Design’s stores (in Nanluogu Xiang and at Beijing Capital International Airport), UCCA and BNC. For more info, visit www.nlgx.com/online-store.
Click here to see the January issue of the Beijinger in full.
Photo: Sui
You might also be interested in :
Culture, Community & Chocolate Fountains: JUE Music + Art Festival Begins
Death Cab for Cutie. Triple-Major. Susan Philipsz. Electric Shadows. Rob Swift. These are just a few of the names participating in the fourth annual JUE (Mar 9-25), a music and art festival in Beijing and Shanghai that is dedicated to highlighting the best of our local creative communities. Last year its 91 events drew over 32,000 attendees; this year they are aiming even bigger in scope. It all officially starts this Saturday, March 10 with a market fair that promises a taste of all the events to come in 2012.
Turn Your Swag On: Swag Store
The word that comes closest to capturing its essence is confidence. Short for “swagger,” “swag” is determined by the way you carry yourself: your speech, your gestures and of course your style of dress.
Big shoes to fill – so does this shop make the cut?
Sing for Plastered: Open Mic on Nanluogu Xiang
Plastered T-shirts’ Nanluogu Xiang branch shut down for renovations last month. When it reopened a couple weeks ago, it unveiled a shiny new stage.
Leap for Discounts at NLGX!
NLGX Design Store has been grabbing headlines lately, what with the opening of its second Beijing branch (in Capital Airport), its recently launched line of bike-friendly apparel and accessories (Kommute), and its involvement in the JUE Music + Art Festival (Bike to JUE).
Minijupe: Skirting Around in Sanlitun
“There are no straight lines on a woman’s body / Her beauty is in her curves,” reads this young Chinese brand’s website. It’s a decidedly inflammatory stance in the high fashion world, an industry largely occupied by waif-like women and shapeless clothing. And yet Minijupe’s founder, Dodo Mai, cites her admiration for the female body as the main impetus behind her work.
