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the dissemination of the fashion taste of China

June 23rd, 2009

Into the Beijing International Media Center, put a red eye of the wooden doors, carved “Jiangnan” word, crystal lamp in the lobby exudes fashion taste of China.

The first floor lobby, you can see blue and white bottles of Chinese landscape painting, and so magnificent hotel Any additional charm.

Through the lobby, a man of small fish ponds into the stairs, a huge painting of bamboo for the extension from the first floor to the second floor. Through the glass spiral staircase and see the fish in the freely swimming.

Information centers are large and small two Office press release. Great Hall can accommodate 500 people, the glass display in front of wishful Xiangyun; hotel ballroom in the second floor has been converted into a temporary Office press release, can accommodate about 200 people.

Outside the banquet was arranged an open media, each staff member before the plug, telephone and network interface were readily available, the side walls are hung with 78 types of facial makeup of Peking Opera, Zhang looked at “China’s civil arts and culture show. ”

It is reported from the 9th, the best film in China, Peking Opera, acrobatics will stage 11; reporters here will be fortunate enough to experience the traditional Chinese art needlework, fortunate enough to see more than 40 folk art master calligrapher’s skills and performance .

On the third floor of the press working area, computer and other equipment already in place. Coffee Break apart, journalists in the corner of the work area free from Fujian Wuyishan enjoy the girls in preparing tea in China. Girl dressed in cheongsam of Wang told reporters that a month ago, they began to receive specialized training in the tea, about nine Chinese and foreign reporters for the sisters to show China’s tea culture.

Director of Beijing International Media Center Zhaihui said that the Olympic Games is one of the world, and Beijing as host city, will be integrated into the global and the national character of the building and services in every detail, at a press center is evident.

He said that with the Beijing Olympic Games II OO Main Press Center is different from the Beijing Olympic Games here is not to obtain “Olympic registration card,” an important national reporter activities, is issue a public announcement regarding non-Olympic event an important platform for information, a complete national press completion of tasks during the Olympic Games coverage, an important channel.

Health Zhaihui watching the transformation over the past two years before the completion of the hotel said that the Olympic Games from July 8 to the end of 24 hours non-stop here, “the reporter would like to think that radical journalists anxious” to the Chinese and foreign journalists work the convenience and warmth of life to enable them to find “home” feeling.

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Dream no regrets – Stephen Sprouse

June 18th, 2009

Halston, the seventies most famous fashion designer, Stephen Sprouse very much appreciate the talent, like father, like training and trust him. However, the upper-class style of Halston, and their heart Sprouse complex gradually conflict street. 1974, Sprouse left Halston, in New York, an independent development, the full passion of his life devoted to love three things – art, rock music and fashion.

As a fashion designer, Steven Sprouse’s life can be summed up in three big ups and downs.

The first time, 30-year-old -32 years old. 1983, Steven Sprouse graffiti designed to be a friend of Steven Meisel (the future the most successful fashion photographers of the U.S. edition of Vogue cover shoot up to two years) of appreciation, and in his encouragement, participated in a fashion draft design television shows, famous. Sprouse was raised from friends and relatives Department 1.4 million U.S. dollars, the creation of their own fashion brands. In a short span of time, Sprouse has become everyone’s favorite – a fashion magazine published in his work suit, celebrities come together in his fashion show, Madonna asked him to design the image. . . Level even the ashes of modern artists Andy Warhol, has become a fan of Sprouse, Stephen Sprouse was a fashion conference to two works, replace the entire collection, creating a period of legend. However, the media did not exchange the glory of the success of the business. Sprouse fabric used in high cost of fluorescence, resulting in expensive clothing, like his style of young people can not afford to buy. With a variety of operational issues, Sprouse had declared bankruptcy in 1985. His clothes, but there is no waste, which will eventually be sold cheap Sprouse fans; Twenty years later, become a sought-after antiques market thing.

Second, 34-year-old -36 years old. 1987, Steven Sprouse and 24-year-old Andrew Cogan set up CSI (Cogan Sprouse Incorporated), in the Soho store to open a brand. Cogan’s wealthy father, a strong financial background, so CSI. Opening time of unprecedented media celebrities to join in again. This time, Sprouse dedicated to the young people did not forget to design a relatively low-cost collection. In 1988, CSI in Los Angeles opened the second store. Unfortunately, unsatisfactory sales, combined with operating problems, in 1989, Sprouse and then the two years ended brilliant.

The third, aged 43 -45 years old. And ups and downs compared to the previous two, this is a rather uneventful. In 1996, Stephen Spouse works of Andy Warhol was the right to use, it has been the Staff International Investment, T to return to Taiwan. Sprouse again in timing is – the eighties nostalgia is strong wind, Sprouse antique clothing in the early market trading at high prices. However, the fate and Sprouse sorry but the new work not only of poor sales, even the media have ignored.
In 2000, the 47-year-old Stephen Sprouse invitation by Marc Jacobs, came to Paris. His Western Rose (cabbage rose) pattern, on the birth of this trip. However, the ultimate use of Louis Vuitton is the words spray-painted on his “Louis Vuitton Paris”, printed on the bag, the popular, everyone rush, did not even buy their own Sprouse.
Stephen Spouse finally enjoy commercial success. Can be this successful, small is their ten-year-old plan by Marc Jacobs. Contrast the life of their own frustrations, and Marc Jacobs’s smooth, Sprouse could not help but feel sorrow and grief. However, he did not complain about the fate of the arts is still full of passion, still sitting in the park like to see children as skate-boarding.

In 2003, the year Stephen Sprouse smokers diagnosed with lung cancer. Doctors told him that only three months of life. At that time, Sprouse designed for Diesel jeans and a T-shirt. In order not to lose this contract, Sprouse hide their condition. Sprouse for example, cancer and failure of the past was no different from a number of business. He is very optimistic and active treatment, and not hesitate to suffer and try to experiment. This period of time, Spouse to create a number of portraits of friends and relatives, as if to remember their loved ones and let them remember their own.

In January 2004, Stephen Sprouse travel to Buenos Aires six weeks. Back to New York a few days after, he saw the film “The Dreamers”, the description of three young people dream experience in Paris. After watching the film, Sprouse phone call to a friend, urgent and lively tone, saying that he would like to quickly cure disease, moved to Boston, to Harvard’s arts classes.

In the evening, Sprouse admitted to hospital due to difficulty in breathing, then passed away the next morning.

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Luxury Brands Look to China for Cushion in Crisis

May 12th, 2009

Clutching a fistful of shopping bags from designers Vivienne Westwood, Dior and Alexander McQueen as she concluded one of her twice-monthly shopping sprees, 29-year-old Zhao Bing looked like the picture of hope for luxury retail.

“Is there a financial crisis in China? I don’t think it has affected my life very much,” said Zhao, who spent 7,000 yuan ($1,000) in 90 minutes at upscale Lane Crawford in Beijing’s financial district last week. “I still buy those big brands, anyone you could think of.”

Many well-heeled Chinese shoppers like Zhao, a film technician who gets an allowance from her parents on top of her salary, are spending freely during the global economic crisis. High-end designers and luxury retailers that thrive on such extravagance hope China’s growing luxury-seeking population will cushion them against the collapse in demand in other countries.

China’s 6 billion euro ($8 billion) luxury market accounts for just 3 percent of global sales, compared with 38 percent in Europe, 33 percent in South and North America and 12 percent in Japan, according to Bain & Co. But China and Brazil are projected to be the two fastest-growing luxury markets through 2012, according to consulting firm Bain & Co.

And sales of designer clothing, jewelry and other luxury goods in China will climb 7 percent this year, while worldwide luxury revenue could fall 10 percent, Bain & Co. forecast. Last year, luxury sales surged 25 percent in China while they were flat worldwide.

Just as more mainstream brands like Starbucks Corp. and Yum Brands Inc.’s KFC are expanding fast in China, higher-end brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo and Gucci are adding stores here — while many retailers have postponed or limited expansion in listless U.S., European and Japanese markets.

“The China market is growing fast. Beside the global downturn, which affects every country, China is quite stable,” Michele Norsa, chief executive of Salvatore Ferragamo SpA, said in an e-mail response to questions. “Definitively, we are optimistic.”

Ferragamo plans to add seven to eight China stores this year, with further expansion in 2010, according to Norsa.
In this April 15, 2009 photo, women shop at a luxury fashion boutique in Beijing, China. Sales of… Expand
In this April 15, 2009 photo, women shop at a luxury fashion boutique in Beijing, China. Sales of designer clothing, jewelry and other goods in China are expected to climb at least 7 percent this year while global industry revenues could fall by 10 percent, consulting firm Bain & Co. says. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Collapse
(AP)

Gucci Group, part of France’s PPR SA, plans to open a flagship store in Shanghai in May after adding three new locations in January. It says its sales in China soared 42 percent last year compared with 2007, 10 times its global growth rate of 4.2 percent. Gucci said China currently represents one of its most dynamic areas of retail growth. Greater China including Hong Kong and Macau accounted for 14.3 percent of Gucci’s sales last year.

France’s Domaines Barons de Rothschild, producer of Chateau Lafite wine, is developing a vineyard in the eastern province of Shandong to serve growing local demand.

China’s luxury shoppers are strikingly young, many of them self-employed or part of a growing professional class. According to consulting firm McKinsey & Co., 80 percent are under 45, compared with 30 percent of luxury shoppers in the United States and 19 percent in Japan.

Liu Hongyan, a 34-year-old marketing director for a culture magazine in the western city of Chengdu, just bought a Coach purse to replace her Chanel, two necklaces and a bracelet from Tiffany and some Estee Lauder cosmetics.

“Like many of my friends, my job is stable and not affected by the financial crisis,” she said. “Now that we are finished buying apartments and cars, we are buying luxury goods.”

Companies with a big presence in China, including Hermes Group and LVMH Group, declined interview requests. Spokespeople for Giorgio Armani SpA and Swatch Group said managers had no time to talk. Tiffany & Co. and Burberry Group did not respond to calls.

Growth in China may not be huge in dollar terms, but it helps counter sales declines elsewhere, says Claudia D’Arpizio, a Bain partner in Milan.

“It’s not enough for offsetting completely the stronger decrease in the U.S., Japan and Europe,” she said.

Fueled by a three-decade-old economic boom that created a still-growing urban elite, China’s appetite for luxury goods is surviving the sharpest global economic slump since the 1930s. And Beijing’s multibillion-dollar stimulus plan appears to be reviving the economy. Recent reports show gains in factory output, retail sales and capital investment.

By 2015, China will have more than 4 million households with annual income above 250,000 yuan ($37,000), McKinsey predicted in a recent report. That will make it the world’s fourth-largest country in terms of its number of households with substantial purchasing power after the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom. McKinsey said the benchmark was adjusted for purchasing power parity for each country.

And most of that money likely will be spent in China. McKinsey said its research found wealthy Chinese do 70 percent of their luxury spending at home, contrary to the industry wisdom that Chinese people make at least half their purchases abroad.

“We know Chinese consumers will continue to spend on luxury items,” said Ferragamo’s Norsa. “After all, it is a very big pond and in it there is space for many.”

Companies are expanding inland to cities like Chengdu to reach customers “who can already afford and who will aspire to the image projected by luxury brands,” said Bain’s D’Arpizio.

Most Chinese, of course, still can’t afford luxury brands and opt for knockoffs. From fake Gucci wallets to Chanel bags, they are widely available despite repeated government crackdowns. Some are so well made that only experts can distinguish them from genuine designer goods.

Wu Yang, a 25-year-old Beijing event planner who bought counterfeit Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags on a recent trip to Shanghai, said vendors wanted 300-500 yuan ($45-75) for a bag, compared with 5,000-10,000 ($750-$1,500) for the real thing.

“I can afford it and nobody can tell it’s not real,” Wu said. “This represents a girl’s dream for big brands.”

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