Bikes are enjoying a resurgence worldwide for a number of reasons: 1) They’re cheaper than cars, 2) They’re better for the environment, 3) They give you a handy means of exercise, and finally, 4) They help you avoid traffic.

All major pluses when it comes to navigating Beijing’s polluted and congested roads. The founders of NLGX Design Store, Ed Hung and Michel Sutyadi, both bike to work everyday. Even so, the local independent apparel and design community has mainly focused on producing graphic T-shirts, hoodies and recycled bags … until now.

For them, a new brand oriented around Beijing’s bicycle commuter lifestyle was the next logical step.

Happy Birthday, Shin Kong Place! This high-end department store first opened in April 2007, in a shopping climate worlds apart from the one we know now. Sanlitun Village didn’t exist yet (that happened in July 2008), nor did the "modern" Nanluogu Xiang (also around July 2008) or Qianmen’s renovated pedestrian street (August 2008). Some might say that Shin Kong Place spearheaded the growth of Beijing’s luxury shopping scene. Indeed, this swish mall has managed to attract over 900 international brands and restaurants to its premises, and will be hosting special promotions and exhibitions over this next month in celebration of its five-year anniversary. Read on for details.

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.

H&M’s latest designer collaboration is slated to drop in stores on March 8. The promotional images, on the other hand, were already released a few days ago – and from the looks of it, Marni for H&M will be our favorite collection yet.

This women's shoe brand, first founded by expats in Shanghai in 2007, is now up to 14 Beijing branches and counting. (For a list of all existing store locations, click here.) According to their website, D:FUSE "strives to bring the latest Scandinavian urban trends to the fashion forward Chinese consumer."

It just so happens that their trend-conscious footwear appeals to us expats as well. And now, one lucky reader has the chance to win a pair of free shoes! Whether sandals or pumps, their designs typically range from RMB 600-1,500, with most of them priced at around the RMB 700-800 mark. You can check out some of D:FUSE's latest styles below, or peruse the full collections here.

The rules? With the exception of the higher-priced Desire line, you can choose whatever pair meets your fancy (though do note that their largest size available is 39).