An Interview with Beijing-based Fashionista Nels Frye

Written By Daniel on January 3, 2008 at 12:03 am | In society, economy, industry, retail, consumer, design, fashion, China

Earlier this week CScout China had an enlightening chat with American Nels Frye (picture below), long-term Beijing resident, business professional and China fashion guru. Here’s a summary of our conversation.

Image source: Nels Frye

Hi Nels. Firstly, can you briefly tell us a bit about yourself and what you’re doing in Beijing?

I’m from Massachusetts and I studied history at the University of Chicago. From May 2005 I have worked at Kamsky Associates, Inc., assisting foreign multinational corporations and funds in their China strategy, including investment advisory services, market entry strategies, competitor analysis, government relations, and market analysis.

As a sideline, I also document Beijing street style, analyze fashion and consumption trends, and am developing an online platform - www.stylites.net - which in addition to being a street style blog, will promote the best local businesses that create unique fashion and customized and handmade products. I also hope to start two exclusive apparel and accessories brands that will be available through the blog - every piece sold will be totally unique.

What are some key trends in fashion / design that you anticipate in Beijing / China in 2008?

1.) Self-expression – people are less concerned about brand names, though this can be because they can’t afford the well known name. Mixing and matching styles and influences will continue to grow. Expression and style, or at least the pursuit of them, will be more important than status with certain demographics. Northeastern factory owners and Shanxi coal barons will presumably still chase brands that scream luxury and wealth.

2.) Stylish professional attire – China’s fashion-conscious have prioritized their play clothes in the past, but women and men will increasingly look to develop an attractive professional appearance. Online brands that provide this look at a reasonable price are expanding.

3.) Environmental protection – young people in China are aware of the environment and want to do what they can to protect it, especially when it is a fashion statement to do so.

4.) Natural colors – colors that are from nature will be increasingly popular. Black and white and bright colors will continue their popularity, but you can already see the growth of muted natural colors within a fashionable set.

5.) The Olympics – no category is immune to it. Fashions, especially sports clothing, will seek to reference Beijing’s grand debut.

Some micro trends:

1.) English Style
2.) Korean style continues popularity
3.) Ladylike continues
4.) Hats as a style statement

And even more micro:

1.) Boots and tucking trousers into them spreads to men
2.) Slim ties
3.) Wool coats replacing puffer coats

I could think of a lot more, so keep checking my blog!

How soon do you anticipate that key Chinese brands will begin to take the lead in setting global fashion trends? (or are they doing this already?)

Clearly, plenty of designers of Chinese descent are movers. Anna Sui (picture right), Vera Wang and a newcomer like Phillip Lim come to mind, but there are many more. They are either born abroad or at least operate their businesses abroad. Like other companies here, China-based fashion brands are cost sensitive and therefore they might not employ the most creative people and if they do, they might not give them the time and resources to fully exploit their talent. It is easier and less risky to either mimic styles or just produce for established brands. Another hurdle is in education. Fields like design are not perceived as attractive destinations for the best students. Probably a Chinese design student that was really brilliant would go work for Dior or Lanvin, in Paris.

That said, China, its government, and its companies are obsessed with innovation these days, and we can see a growing love of fashion. On the high-end, we need to watch haute couture’s development. Rich people have the resources to support creative designers and they want to wear pieces that are unique. Development of haute couture labels might spur development of more mainstream luxury brands, as it did in the West. When you watch TV and see all the women wearing custom-made clothing, it is quite inspiration. It would be really exciting if haute couture everywhere could eventually be revitalized by demand from the China market. Blanc de Chine, which has a shop in the Kerry Center, is an interesting label. Jefen and Cabeen – very different brands of course – receive a lot of attention. Still, I think China needs another five years before it produces an Issey Miyake or Yohji Yamamoto, to use Japan as a point of comparison. Korea is growing as an international fashion influence, but I can’t even think of a single Korean designer that is really revolutionary.

In your opinion is the influence of overseas brands increasing or decreasing within China’s fashion market? What are the most important overseas brands in China today?

If you mean in proportion to the Chinese brands, I would say “maybe” or “Which Chinese brands are important?” The interesting trend is diversification. Fashion consumers in the past might have bought a brand because it was Western. Consumers are now more educated, and they buy a brand for the specific image it represents.

I could do a pretty long analysis on perceptions of brands and which ones are the most influential here. The question of fakes is related to this when you talk about a brand’s influence – often people don’t care or genuinely can’t tell the difference – but this depends on the consumer and which brand it is. Sports shoes are really well-established: Nike, Adidas, and Puma are big, to name a few. Most of them do special China-inspired lines – we’ll see more of this in 2008. On the high-end, for women, brands to watch are Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Prada/Miu Miu, and always LV. White collars in Beijing love Zara, Mango, and people are looking forward to H&M’s arrival. This all relates to development of a middle class - there’s still more of a space for foreign luxury brands. For men, on the high end, Ermenegildo Zegna is doing really well here. Other big men’s brands, though most of what is actually bought is fake, these days are Paul Smith, Dior Homme, Y3, and DSquared.

In your opinion what are the key drivers within China’s fashion market? (rising living standard / income, internet penetration, global awareness…)

All of the usual suspects apply: incomes rising, the internet and more foreign media, increased travel and study/work abroad, urbanization, etc. These are all important, but I want to talk about some interesting drivers that I think are more fashion specific:

1.) Climate control – specifically related to fashion is the penetration of air conditioning, auto ownership, and heating systems. A young woman couldn’t really consider wearing a skirt in winter when she was riding a bike to a minimally heated office. Despite government efforts, companies still over-cool their offices, and men are able to wear suits and ties in summer. Also, the people who will be spending the most money on fashion drive everywhere. In addition to staying warm or cool, this allows them to wear more delicate fabrics and more costly items.

2.) New events – until very recently most Chinese did not do much in public beyond karaoke and eating out, which themselves still have a lot more room for growth. Now we have all sorts of functions. White collars will be going to conferences, charity balls, launches of magazines, and more costly weddings. More people, mainly women at first, will need to dress to show their good taste and style.

3.) Women in the workforce – Chinese women skipped women’s lib, a terrible time for global women’s fashion, and went directly to being independent spenders with confidence in their femininity. The seventies and early eighties were not the best time for fashion in the West – women were timidly entering the office, often thinking they should try look like men. Women in China are becoming independent and wealthy, but they don’t have any fear of expressing their feminine side. This is great for fashion because it means that the people who love fashion most will have money to spend on it and want it to be beautiful, elaborate, and graceful.

4.) Subcultures – if you don’t think gay liberation is happening rapidly in China, go to Oriental Plaza on a Saturday afternoon. Gay guys here adore fashion, just like they do in the West. There are all sorts of other subcultures that are growing here, whether it’s hip-hop, skateboarding, or various Japanese-influenced categories. The fashion element is even more important in China than it is abroad, as the other reasons for the existence of the subculture are often irrelevant in this context.

How far behind urban Chinese women do urban Chinese men lag in terms of their awareness of fashion? Are men catching up?

They are much less aware, but sometimes when there is that rare stylish guy he can look very good. Women are often focused on fashion, but that’s the problem. They chase every fashion trend and execute it with inferior materials, never bothering to develop a style of their own. I’m not taking pictures of the average migrant laborer, desk drone, factory owner or government official. Here in China, men rarely look good in suits or in any kind of classic style. The suit in China is not an impressive symbol and it is not part of the heritage. People don’t wear suits or traditional attire because they enjoy wearing it. Style among men is entirely focused on casual attire. You have to look at niche groups like rockers, skateboarders, and artists.

Despite the widespread view that Chinese men lack style, I do find quite a few men who merit being photographed. Again, gay guys are really stylish, maybe even more than they are in the West. They have more of a clue than most of the women here. In general, Chinese men have fewer tacky options available than women. The women are all trying to be fashionable and often stick out but usually they choose to do so by being garish and relying on a misunderstood bawdiness. Most men just look bad in a totally negligent and sloppy way, whereas women look bad because they’re trying too hard with sequins, pleather, and fake fur.

Men are definitely catching up. Young guys dress a lot better than they used to, though above thirty we pretty much face a fashion and style desert – also not the case with women.

Thanks Nels - we’ll be checking back with you soon to find out further developments in the interesting and ever-evolving world of Chinese style, fashion and consumer trends.