Dear God of Fashion.....

 

Being in China one develops a habit of shopping voyerism. I scan the pages of ASOS, American Apparel, Topshop and Net-a-Porter knowing that these beautiful items before me will never be mine (delivery to China is something of a rare and expensive treat). So here is xiao collage of the items I am pining after at present.

Dear God of Fashion, please bestow upon me; a Paul & Joe floral jumpsuit, a pair of KG shoe boots, a 3.1 Phillip Lim oversized sequin waistcoat, a ONE vintage lace dress, an American Apparel lycra dress in peach (or aqua if it isn't too much bother), a black Mullberry Roxanne bag, a pair of Citizens of Humanity ripped jeans, a Balmain studded waistcoat (because one is never enough), a pair of starched Chloe high waisted shorts, a stretch tribal print American Apparel dress, last but not least, and only if you don't mind to greatly, I would love a black lace ONE jacket.

Hmmmmm....a girl can dream.

The Land of The Snow White Sun.

I am an unabashed sun seeker, and feel I look my healthiest and prettiest when I have a bit of colour on my cheeks. I luckily have quite sallow skin, but this does mean that I look a bit peaky without a bit of bronze on. Nevertheless, I have never succumbed to the allure of the tanning booth. Tanning has become a major beauty trend (verging on obsession) in the West with many people ‘investing’ in their own personal tanning booths in search of a year round glow. The money spent on 'inside tanning' is quite alarming. A home tanning bed could set you back around $1,000 to $5,000. More significantly, an approximated 10% of Americas spend on average $300 each year to achieve that 'healthy glow', with increasing technological advancements and consumer demand we are set to see this statistic rise.

Asia women have a very different perception of beauty and they actively avoid the sun. Pale Asian models peer at you for editorials and adverts, there beauty found in their flawlessly white skin and achingly thin frames. In traditional culture those with dark sallow skin were seen as a lower rung of society; their complexion due to having to work the land, facing the elements all year round. Pale Skin has become associated with a higher social status and wealth, the privilege of not having to work outside.

The spring sun has been shining in all its glory here in Nanjing and Nanjing ladies would not consider leaving there homes without the protective shade of a parasol. But this is just one of the many steps they take to maintain their creamy complexion. There has become an increasing trade in skin-whitening products with reportedly 45% of Hong Kong women spending at least 10% of their monthly wage on skin whitening products. These products come in a multitude of forms, the most obvious example of sunscreens starts at around SPF19 commonly featuring an ‘active’ skin whitening ingredient. This may sound like responsible sun safety; however as with most beauty trends there are extreme fanatics that are willing to try the most dangerous products to achieve the Snow White complexion. Many of the most dangerous products contain strong acids, mercury and bleach; unnervingly these products are often the cheapest. Continuous use of these products can have lasting damage on your skin, including discolouration: mercury can give the skin a blue grey tint; hydroquinone can break up connective tissue making the skin red and blotchy, which really defeats the whole purpose of the exercise. On a more serious note it can potentially lead to organ failure of the kidneys and liver through mercury poisoning, and by altering the skins make up can break you natural defences against skin cancer.

These measures seem extreme and unhealthy to many but consider the dangers of tanning. Even though we are now more than ever aware of the potential dangers of UV light (both through natural exposure and tanning booths), skin cancer has raised 5 fold from 1975 to 2005 in Great Britain. And this dangerous rate is set to rise. The beauty mania for the perfect complexion has vast differences from West to East, but one common thread is that the dangers it can induce are not to be taken lightly. I’d take a St Tropez self-tanning mousse or Geisha inspired foundation over kidney failure or melanomas any day thank you very much!

Arm Candy With A Bite

And i can't have this because....? Angel Jackson's pure British rock sensibility at its finest, and sure to be on the arm of every waif London trendee in no time at all.

A word from the wise...

As per the ancient Chinese saying: "the first bird who stands out will get shot!", and this explains a multitude of their fashion sins! In the 60’s everyone followed the standard dress in a Zhongshan suit (or a Mao suit as it is better known in the West) in blue, grey or black. Post Mao and The Gang of Four there was a relaxation in dress; people had the freedom to wear colour, pattern, to copy movie stars and to dress however they pleased. For many, clothing has become a subconscious form of expressing their freedom away from harsh party lines; an explanation of the appliqué pearls and multicoloured lamé that I am quite satisfied with.

Wears

The weather here in old Nanjing has been getting warmer and warmer (today it even reached 24°C). So as a little girl from the land of rain I am unprepared for such strong April heat, but embracing the quintessential Englishness within I cracked out the legs, much against the protests of the Chinese (they are still in their thermals awaiting the real heat – 30°C and up). So I decided to rock out the American Apparel One-piece with a Chinese thin silk knit jumper over the top. I also dragged out my trusty Office jelly sandals that have lasted 3 long, not so hot, English summers now and are still going strong. Throw on a few ghettos gold chains and we are good to go. Look out China the British sun seekers are coming.

The Chinese Glossy Brigades

When I left dear old London I knew I would miss my longstanding companion: the glossy mag. However, I underestimated the wealth of Chinese fashion magazine. Fair enough I cannot understand much of what is being written, but its Chinese reading practise and fashion culture all rolled into one, so joyous beautiful images with no backlash from the teachers. There is the ever present Vogue which was only launched in the PRC in 2005. It’s lay out is much like the British Vogue, which should be every girl's go to look book, and is not only a fashion bible but also a lifestyle magazine. It does feature Chinese designers who do not get much publicity outside of Asia, which has opened my eyes to a whole new fashion world, however, is not a typically Chinese magazine. Aimed at a much older audience it lists extremely expensive pieces (I guess not much different to British mag really). Grazia arrived in China this year bringing with it all the beautiful editorials and images we have come to expect from it. The articles are human interest stories like those featured in the British edition and its trend pages are fresh and forward. I am sure it will become a firm favourite in the hearts of the Chinese fashionista, so just watch this space. A more ‘Asian’ publication is ViVi. It is a Chinese/Hong Kong/ Japanese/ Taiwanese publication that aims at the 20’s demographic. AND I LOVE IT! Chinese fashion can be somewhat ridiculous and outlandish at times (think Paris Hilton Pink teamed with patent wedge heeled trainers and you are starting to come close to witnessing the travesties I see every day). But the thing that really attracts me to ViVi is that it has pages and pages of trends and photo shoots. It is basically a monthly look book with very little writing which works perfectly for me. It follows a totally unique style aesthetic to every other magazine, ViVi is ‘Pop Asian’ –think cute harajuku girls with the volume turned up- and it is exciting!There are a plethora of Chinese fashion publications to suit all tastes, including ELLE, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar and many, many more. But Vogue, Grazia and ViVi have become my staple reading material. So if you will excuse me I’m going to settle down to some Vogue and M&S tea.