Ad Wrap...(22/5)

Haircut...(21/5)

As a demonstration of the new wave of the City, one of the best ways to sense the changes is to visit a hair salon. The way they look at the trend becomes my way to look at them, through myself. I like the setting of the salon, and the customer service they offered to the clients. I rarely drink cappuccino and watch playboy magazine with a hairdresser. It is always a surprise to discover...shorten my hair would be one way.

Izzue Issued...(30/9)

Dress Me...(11/1)

a few thoughts about our basic needs...
My friend talks about dressing code. She is right. People judge your ability and profession according to what you dress...It's the appearance instead of the content inside you that determines your value and social status, well, at least this is partially true when you encounter a person for the first glance. True, packaging seems very important, and what you dress and present would definitely configure how people look at you. A miserable world.
Fashion is a stream of arts that I love a lot. Have a look of one of the graphics for the coming Prêt-a-Porter show in Paris, there is a row of silhouettes that demonstrates something about the beauty of fashion. An interesting contrast to the realistic world perhaps. Things look sexier in the world of imagination than the reality.
Chic and glamorous, and since long ago, Paris is the capital of fashion. There is no doubt about the claim. I think it is always a kind of enjoyment walking and watching on the street in the capital.
Musee d'art decoratif next to the Louvre is one of the museums in Paris that worth a visit. There is always an exhibition on subject related to fashion and clothing. The collection and the design for the two exhibitions I visited in 2005 are both fantastic. The correlation of pragmatism and aesthetic element are balanced and respected. The history of fashion is often romantic. The spirit to dress well has for long time been creating a room for designers to imagine and execute. People talk about mix-and-match or crossover. Trend is always retrospective. Like other contemporary arts and technology development, the 'rampant change' of the mankind in the last demi-century did push people to a acute position that a temporary pause to review never come into place. This explains why the hype is always retrospective now. On the one hand, people need a nostalgic sensation to the recent past. In addition, sustainable creation and innovation can never go forward with any stage of consolidation to my view.
A question for everyday, 'what should we wear today?'

Salon de la Mode...(8/10)

Working for the whole weekend on a local promotion of fashion and garment, and I have a chance to visit the numerous exhibitions namely Première Classe, Atmosphère, Workshop Salon and Paris Sur Mode...As a capital of fashion, Paris never feels bored holding events like these, and the clustering schedule of numerous shows at nearby locations enables buyers and visitors to do the show visits at one go. Impressive design and product display are always two characteristics of the fashion industry in Paris, and in terms of scale, these few exhibitions are not enormous but that would already costs you day going from one booth to another. During my conversation with the local designers and brand producers, they are much interested in the China market but obviously their limited budget, timing and knowledge about the market in China hinder their plan to go East. A general perception of the copyright issue in China is another major concern of them. They are fear about the copycats and unmoral ethics of other companies to steal their product design etc. Something I think it needs more attention for the Hong Kong traders. Surprisingly, the numerous visitors to these shows were from Japan, and they were boutiques and retail chains sourcing from the exhibiting designers. Again, the working model of Japan traders was worthwhile noting. For me, an enjoyable thing participating in exhibitions in Paris is the on-site design and atmosphere control by the organizers. When you found that the exhibition tents were just next to the Jardin de Turleries where a Sunday sun shone on the faces of a row of kids who were riding on the donkeys led by a trainer, you would understand how exhibition could be so nice and perhaps romantic…

French Garment Industry with Josephine...(10/8)

Read an article written by 封德銅 of 中國紡織工業研究中心...some interesting elaboration about the French garment industry in the early 19th century. See extract of the article...

巴黎時尚就從約瑟芬開始 －拿破崙重視紡織 (封德銅)
...約瑟芬皇后常向她最喜愛的「勒華服裝店」訂購大量的新式樣服裝，引領時尚流行。隨著拿破崙政權的建立，奢侈品的買賣復甦。高級服裝店在宮廷裡隨處可見。除官員的服裝常用絲絨滾金邊，銀邊製作外，貴婦們也訂購可觀的平紋細布或羅紗的禮服。約瑟芬1814年過世時，在梅爾梅莊擁有498件襯衣，1132雙手套，785雙鞋子，676件洋裝。絲質或棉質長襪共有413雙，有白色、粉紅或參加喪禮穿的黑色長襪。約瑟芬非常熱愛繡金片或銀片的「平紋細布」，它在「王者之王，拿破崙」展覽會場上的說明牌也有特別標示。我透過玻璃仔細端詳，在那個時代，應該是上等細麻布，纖細、柔軟、白色的布配上金、銀的裝飾，高雅大方。約瑟芬是一個很有智慧又有主見的女人，她常邀鼎鼎大名的華勒一起討論衣著打扮。當時女性穿的衣著，就有如「亂世佳人」中郝思嘉一樣，抱著柱子，由黑人女佣用繩子勒緊小馬甲，下身穿鐘型的架子，外面再穿上多層的襯裙，越蓬越好看。而約瑟芬穿著長袖洋裝。她除去束縛，拋棄了緊身內衣和層層疊疊穿的繁複衣著，腰部線條不再是焦點，但仍保留當時的低胸，腰部則改為高腰，腰部以下為合身。從此，稍寬有拖擺或無拖擺的直統洋裝，尤其是向上梳的短髮搭配直統洋裝，更備受青睞，服裝設計師莫不以脫下女人的束縛為創作精神。所以我們可以說，巴黎時尚就從約瑟芬開始，而現今巴黎主導世界的流行。
...至於拿破崙本人也對衣著十分重視，常戴著那頂著名的帽子，整頂帽子是由黑毛氈所製成的，後來甚至變成他的註冊商標。拿破崙在執政時期就有常戴帽子的習慣，這個習慣也持續了整個統治生涯沒有改變過。拿破崙戴帽子的方式很奇特，只有他“歪戴帽子”，也就是說帽翼與肩膀平行，但其軍官通常“縱向”戴。拿破崙在位期間，前後總共約有170頂帽子。在聖赫勒那島去世前，只剩四頂。「黑毛氈」帽是羊毛成分的，它是利用羊毛纖維經由熱、溫度和壓力的作用，使羊毛纖維交接在一起互相黏疊並具堅實細密的織物特性。依賴羊毛表面的鱗片的物理性質糾結鏈合在一起。古時係以足踏加壓或搥擊而成，現在則有毛氈製造機，完成鏈合之工作，更以鹼液處理，使其縮絨，並加印染，以達美觀之目的。毛呢、氈合，都是這類的產品，看起來穩重、厚實而保暖。
...1800年，當拿破崙打完第二次義大利戰役回國時，中途暫歇里昂，因為大革命對當地紡織業造成相當大的損害，所以當地官員有意讓拿破崙印象深刻，市政官員特別贈送他一套紅色華麗的繡金絲絨裝，提醒他傳統紡織業對里昂的重要性。1804年拿破崙就是穿這一套紅色繡金絲絨服裝前往聖母院加冕，加冕時再加上白絲絨加冕袍，金穗絲質腰帶，再披上點綴金蜂圖案，鼬皮的紅色絲絨拖曳式大衣。拿破崙想要鼓勵里昂絲織製造業，於1802年決定向里昂絲織品製造商－佩爾農訂購幾套室內裝飾，擺飾在聖克盧宮，而1804年交貨的銀藝錦緞，則被約瑟芬用來裝飾聖克盧宮的大廳。此外，拿破崙為了支持里昂的絲織製造業，於1811-1813年間訂購了八十多公里長的絲料，以裝飾各皇宮，尤其是他打算居住的凡爾賽宮。這些錦緞有梅紅、藍和綠等多種顏色。拿破崙同時也大量向國營的工廠如戈伯蘭廠（十五世紀中葉創立）訂購掛毯來裝飾皇宮，其成分多為羊毛與絲。拿破崙還向薩伏納里廠訂購一張巨大的織綿畫，送給薩克斯王，這是唯一有帝國徽章及拿破崙「N」字母的掛毯，是用純羊毛織成的。

The reflection of image of Chinese...(5/6)

Extracted from Apply Daily...

< ... 5 月 初 法 國 警 察 拘 捕 一 名 中 國 留 學 生 Li Li Whuang ， 起 訴 指 她 在 兼 職 的 Valeo 汽 車 零 件 公 司 內 ， 非 法 下 載 公 司 機 密 圖 則 及 資 料 ， 事 件 在 歐 洲 引 起 極 大 迴 響 。 法 國 傳 媒 更 高 調 表 示 ， 有 為 數 不 少 的 中 國 留 學 生 實 為 商 業 間 諜 ， 無 論 指 控 屬 實 與 否 ， 相 信 一 眾 歐 洲 公 司 會 提 起 戒 心 ， 加 強 防 範 外 國 商 業 間 諜 。>

There has been wide coverage of this incidence last month in France, and it was exactly the period when the claim of post-quota "invasion" of the Chinese textile and garment to EU countries was in place... After staying in Paris for a while, I strongly sense the emotion of the French people towards China and us the Chinese. There is a general perception about China where the country can offer cheap labour and price-cutting production. This is an opportunity and a threat to their economy in France. China is a fancyland to quite some companies here. They are thinking about the feasibility to produce, not necessarily only in the Eastern Europe but, at the same time, the labour group here has an adverse feeling to the threat of Chinese labours that could take away their job. In general, French people appear to me quite self-centred. They preserve so well their culture and history and they are proud to their nation, and in addition to the geographical separation, French people, though much interested in the Oriental culture from China, know only from a foreigner perspective about our culture and recent development. This is certain why not many people really know too much about Hong Kong. Under this situation, any incidence happened in France relating to Chinese people can impose an instant image to their perception to the Chinese. There has been media coverage talking about the hygiene problem of the local Chinese restaurants in Paris, the massive increase of Chinese imported textile and garment products in 2005, the opportunity in China in various industries to French companies etc...and now this is the suspected incidence of spy act from the Chinese students...without much effort done by the local Chinese representatives, it may not be difficult for us to imagine how the French people would project an image to Chinese at this moment...

Pro-protectionism in lieu of a "oui"?...(14/4)

Extracted from Expatica, Paris
French President Jacques Chirac on Thursday denounced what he called "the brutal and unacceptable invasion" of Europe by Chinese textiles and said the EU would within a fortnight take measures to stem the flow..."There is every reason to think, and in any case it is the position of France and I am sure we will be followed on this, that (European Union) safety clauses will be applied within 10 to 15 days," he told French television.
The European Commission said earlier Thursday it aimed to decide on April 25 whether to launch an investigation into booming Chinese textile imports, the first step towards applying limits allowed under World Trade Organisation rules. Europe's textile industry is pressing the commission, the EU executive, to impose safeguard measures to curb a flood of Chinese imports that followed the end of a global quota system on January 1.
"There was clearly a brutal and unacceptable invasion of the European market and of the American market by Chinese textiles, beyond what is acceptable within the framework of free trade," Chirac said.
"The Americans ... have already reacted and have imposed safety clauses," he added.
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Taking into consideration the political crisis the President is facing now. His speech and attitude to the textile import from China is again a gesture to acquire the general support from his citizens to back him for the Referendum on May 29 and thus the EU-as-one vision for collective decision making among the 25 countries...to a certain extent, it may help....

Discounters lead French non-food sector...(7/4)

French consumer retail consultant Dia-Mart has come up with a study that paints a gloomy retail picture for traditional stores in the country, showing that these producers and distributors may not be able to justify their prices due to the prevalence of discounting in the marketplace...extracted from http://www.tdctrade.com/mne/garment/retail135.htm

The luxe of red...(20/3)

【Apple Daily】 巴 黎 站 遭 淋 紅 油
尖 沙 嘴 加 連 威 老 道 七 十 六 號 專 售 二 手 和 水 貨 名 牌 手 袋 的 店 舖 「 巴 黎 站 」 ， 昨 午 四 時 半 遭 獨 行 男 子 潑 紅 漆 ， 疑 該 名 二 十 多 歲 的 青 年 心 慌 ， 將 手 上 奶 茶 杯 裝 的 紅 漆 潑 出 之 際 突 然 脫 手 ， 紅 漆 和 杯 跌 於 地 面 立 即 逃 去 ...
...well, the incidence of 'graffiti-in-red' does not only happen in Paris station Hong Kong but also in Paris. The latest WAD magazine (http://www.wadmag.com) uses the colour RED as the story of the issue and revives the attractiveness of the colour contrast to highlight the trend of the colour this seaon. You may wish to check out your wardrobe and pick up again the red for the year...