Beijing's best shops: Fashion

Lane Crawford has some of the most exciting labels around. Jason Wu and Roland Mouret have personally launched collections in this fashion mecca and we can’t wait for Phillip Lim’s arrival in October. Check out their current one-off trench-coat collection, modelled by 23 top fashion and style icons of today, including Maggie Cheung, Nina Garcia, Hamish Bowles and Scott Schuman.

Surfin’ Bird is the sole Beijing stockist for some of the hippest labels around. Head to this quirky boutique to get your mitts on Ground Zero, Opening Ceremony, Daydream Nation, Peter Jensen and Henrik Vibskov, to name but a few.

One of the first boutiques in China devoted solely to showcasing independent Chinese designers, Dong Liang is on hand to help you name-check the labels of the future. New ones to watch out for include Hong Kong’s Ccchu and He Yan from Shanghai. Look out for the original studio space further down the hutong, set to become your new fave vintage store.

Avant-garde menswear designer Zhang Chi’s aesthetic might be too extreme for some, but his sharp tailoring and inventive use of fabrics have garnered him a loyal following, and he promises his next show, to be held in October, will be even more flamboyant than the last.

Shanghai designer Cao Yiwen’s design ethic is based around mixing and matching, and most of her chic womenswear pieces can be reworked with other items. She uses a wide array of fabrics, including silk and wool from Italy, and loves utilising vintage Chinese and Japanese hand-painted materials in her designs.

JNBY was founded in Hangzhou in 1994 by a group of fashion students, and the brand has grown from strength to strength. Earlier this year, they even opened a permanent store in New York following the success of their SOHO pop-up. We’re equally enamoured of their male line, Croquis, which shares the same creative perspective, based on unique shapes in natural materials.

Candy & Caviar initially focused on outerwear, gaining a loyal following (including Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.i.am) with their unisex sculpted coats, blazers and waistcoats. Now, the brand has expanded into menswear and womenswear more broadly. The spring 2011 collection is inspired by the stark simplicity of black and white movies.

Easily the city’s best vintage haunt, Mega Mega Vintage is the only port of call for any informed Beijing hipster. Brogues and blazers for the boys, and girls have their pick of an array of party dresses in decent nick at a good price point.

Plastered

Plastered takes Beijing in-jokes, iconic signs and slogans that are dear to our heart, and literally plasters them across T-shirts. Plastered continues to collaborate with Maybe Mars in promoting and supporting Beijing’s rock scene, including local bands such as PK14 and Carsick Cars.

Pang Kuan of New Pants is the brains behind Bye Bye Disco, one of China’s first retro shops specialising in classic pop culture items from the ’70s-’90s. Head here to stock up on Feiyues or check out their vintage threads. 

Shanghai mega-brand Source only touched down in Beijing last year, stocking some of the most so-hip-it-hurts streetwear labels around. It also acts as a gallery space that hosts music and limited-edition product launches. Check out labels Something Else, Ksubi and Cheap Monday, alongside brand new labels exclusive to Source, Vanishing Elephant, Ontour and Marshall Artist.

An obvious comparison might initially seem American Apparel, but the Chinese wo2 has its own stamp. Founded by local designers Liyia Wu and Yao Yu, they focus on cotton separates in bright neon colours, including T-shirts, capes and dresses. They’re also one of the few retailers in town for Vivienne Westwood Melissa shoes.

The Thing is a fun, affordable streetwear label founded by five young Shanghainese designers that manages to fuse together Chinese elements without being too obvious or trying too hard. For girls, you can’t really go wrong with a howling wolf T-shirt from their new collection. Boys should look to the ’80s-inspired graphic polo tees.

Arrtco’s name (it’s an amalgam of ‘art’ and ‘cooperation’) represents their philosophy towards art, music and fashion. Their China World space has boasted labels as diverse as Viktor & Rolf, Balmain and Raf Simons, and January saw their collaboration with Time Out favourite Zhang Chi, but their Joy City branch focuses on local urban brands. Their affordable line has also seen them collaborate with local rockers Joyside and Queen Sea Big Shark.

Womenswear designer Huang Yue has been creating exquisitely structured pieces for over ten years. A graduate from the Central Academy, having studied ballet, he understands shape and form, and is a favourite of glossies for his blend of Eastern and Western styles.

Founded by local models José Acosta and Carlos Estevez, regulars on the China Fashion Week circuit, The Bauer Company is their bespoke baby. Call ahead, as the atelier is hard to find, but it’s well worth the trek to Gaobeidian. Offering a full range of services to suit all budgets, pricing is dependent solely on your fabric choices. They’ve also recently started working on their own menswear and womenswear collections.

Angelica Cheung is editor-in-chief of Vogue China, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this month. Here are Cheung’s rarified retail tips.

‘Fei Space combines fashion and home decor selected by creative director Lin Jing. I love the private atmosphere and the idea of mixing fashion with art.

‘I also like the UCCA Store. While not a fashion store per se, it has a great selection of interesting art and local fashion designs. To sell fashion in an art store is a smart idea and the fashion pieces in the store express the imaginations of young Chinese designers.’

‘I love the small designer stores and restaurants housed in Nali Patio. It’s a great place to linger during the weekend, shopping at designer shops such as Elysee Yang, having a coffee and enjoying being a sartorialist in Sanlitun where the young, chic people hang out.’

Sun Lingsheng is the frontman of Super VC, named ‘Most Stylish Band’ at last year’s MTV Awards, and a regular on the fashion circuit.

‘I initially read about menswear designer Xander Zhou in a magazine, about how he learned his craft abroad and then came back to Beijing. A few months later, we met at a party and now we’re good friends. His designs are really modern. He is taking Chinese fashion in a totally new direction.’

‘Wazzap is a fun store in Gulou. I bought almost every piece from their India collection, as it links with my band’s current psychedelic rock style.’