Pearls & Pastries

Culture Chanel Exhibit; MOCA Shanghai 

I always find it interesting to go in to the minds of other designers to discover their influences and inspirations. It does not take much to affect a designer and especially after the John Galliano and Alexander McQueen incidents of late, demonstrate that we are "fragile artistic creatures"  prone to snap under stress or flourish within recognition.  This year, Chanel came to Shanghai and displayed her wares at the Shanghai Contemporary Art Museum in People's Park.

Below are some of my favorites:

Karl Lagerfeld "Coromandel" coat inspired by Chinese screens 1996-1997 Fall/Winter

Coromandel Eye shadow Palette 2005

Mosaic Encrusted evening gown

Variations on the Classic Wool Jacket

Costume Design

Afterward, contrary to the exhibit, I met some coworkers for dinner at an industrial style restaurant. Table No.1 is housed within a renovated warehouse cum hotel called the Waterhouse by local design firm Neri & Hu. It was Shanghai "restaurant week"---whatever that means because we didn't exactly eat at discounted prices, but none the less it was nice to have a taste at a special menu. All in all it made for a very French night. 

Lobby at Waterhouse

Lobby and Lobby Bar at Waterhouse

Reception Desk at Waterhouse

Table No. 1 Restaurant; clockwise from left:
Me, Miki, Santi, Genny

Starter Course: Duck Foie Gras 

Second Course: White Fish and Squid Ink Rice

Miki's Second Course: Steak Tenderloin and Potatoes

Third Course: Some type of Sorbet and fruit

Genny's Third Course: Pineapple, Cream, and Carmelized Sugar

Frustrations & Analyzations

This post is inspired by a recent report by China Daily newspaper about the disproportionate representation of modern and traditional culture. Unfortunately, I think the issue goes deeper than that. Here is an excerpt but you can read more about the report here.

"We have emphasized our traditional culture to an extreme extent in the past decade, but we don't have a strong voice in international dialogues," Yi Junqing, director of the Central Compilation and Translation Bureau, said during a press conference for the release of the Annual Report on China's Cultural Soft Power Research (2010).

I can attest by saying that since my stay here I really do not know more than maybe two liberal-minded young people. This is not to say that they don't have fun, but just that their goals and beliefs are traditional.  I think this is the biggest difference between Chinese and American youth. Chinese have a very ingrained sense of following and obedience and they lack a diverse life experience.  Therefore if I may boldly conclude, Chinese then develop a provincial outlook on life because that's all they know.

In fact if I can go on a bit of an interesting tangent: the word for problem or trouble; wenti 问题, is the same as the word for question.
The word for learn; xue 学, is also the same as the word for imitate.


It may just be a coincidence, but it's particularly frustrating because, my Mandarin is far from perfect, so either I can't find someone who's English is good enough for me to chat with; or I find someone's who's English is good enough but there's nothing to talk about.  I love old things, but you can only talk about it so much before you feel dull, bored, and like you've aged 10 years during the conversation.  

  Along with many other things, China has yet to develop a current culture embracing it's new international standing as a power-player.   China is still observing, imitating, and reproducing foreign ideas. In a recent post called "From Communitsts to Consumerists" I also mentioned the obsession that the majority of Chinese have with brands. I suppose I could look deeper in to this as representing a desire for quality because there is a lack of quality control on the mainland---and so they look to foreign brands. But I hope, hope, hope that this will change and the country will look to establishing itself domestically.