Fashion
Thursday, 11 March 2010 03:03
Written by Xinlei Wang

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Location: Shaanxi Lu
Interviewee: Anonymous Uygur
Age: 33
Occupation: IT Engineer


Urban Promos: Are there any branded clothes on you today?
A: No, and usually there aren’t.

Urban Promos: Does that mean you don’t care about fashion at all?
A: Yes, you could say that. I think what people usually mean by ‘fashion’ is some kind of popular trend in clothing and behavior during a specific period of time. I agree that fashion functions as a means of self-expression, so it depends to a large extent upon the attitude and behavior of the person concerned. My attitude toward it is not to give a damn about fashion.

Urban Promos: Do you think the way you dress will affect the way people think about you?
A: Well, I don’t care about following trends, but that doesn’t mean that I’m being messy. Just for your information, I do care about keeping things clean and simple. And I apply this attitude to almost every aspect of my life. This is my own style. Isn’t it great to let people know who you really are?

Author’s Comment: This guy is probably just ahead of the game, because when people get older they tend to outgrow pointless anxieties about their clothes and ‘cool-factor’. If he dressed any other way, he’d be open to derision for trying too hard. The world can’t win when fashion magazines and legions of nit-pickers are on the march flinging cleverly worded but ultimately vapid remarks at random targets they meet on their way.

Design
Wednesday, 03 March 2010 01:03
Written by JFK Miller

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The Peninsula Shanghai is the Bund’s first new building in over 60 years. We spoke with architect David Beer who was given the daunting task of designing it...

How much pressure did you feel to ‘get it right’?
“The responsibility of designing the first new building on the Bund in over 60 years was immense. The challenge to design a large mixed-use project that would complement and not jar with the other Bund buildings was a unique problem in itself. The look of the hotel tower had to be very carefully studied in the context of the historic Bund ensemble of buildings, with a low rise wing on the boulevard that echoed the height and scale of the other buildings and a taller tower further back that allowed the full program to be included.”

What was the biggest challenge you faced?
“It was to design a Deco-like facade as dictated by the city and the client and also to incorporate very wide windows to maximize the views. Wide windows are not part of the Deco vocabulary, but the use of a variety of window sizes is very much part of it and the result is a building that does not look like a copy, a pastiche, but is a 21st-century reflection of the glorious 1920s and 30s architecture without being so much a recreation of the past. We also favored river views for all rooms, but of course we had a height limit on the Bund, so it wasn’t physically possible.”

Are you happy with how it turned out?
“I’m sure that there will be certain small details that will upset me… the shape of an awning, the size of a light fixture. But we must remember that a hotel is not a monument which requires absolute perfection. A hotel is a place to relax, be stimulated, entertained and most importantly, it should be a place that feels comfortable and welcoming. The Peninsula always achieves this with their hotels, and I hope I’ve even exceeded their highest standards with this building.”

// The Peninsula Shanghai, No. 32 The Bund, 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu

Fashion
Friday, 05 February 2010 02:02
Written by Urbanatomy

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On the threshold of the year of Tiger, American casual footwear brand Skecher is offering a up to 40% discount on all its popular products, including sneakers, trainers and boots. The promotion is valid from February 10 to March 5 in all the city branches. For more information, please visit here or call 020 8916 0280.

Hotels
Tuesday, 02 February 2010 09:02
Written by Jade Bremner & Cordelia O’Hare

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Next month one of Shanghai's most iconic landmarks, the Peace Hotel, re-opens its doors just ahead of the expo. We've been given a sneak peak inside the newly refurbished hotel on the Bund. Check out the slideshow below.

LINKS: RETRO SHANGHAI
WEAR / EAT / PLAY / RELAX / PEACE HOTEL

Features
Tuesday, 02 February 2010 08:02
Written by Jade Bremner

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In time for a new Chinese decade, our retro and vintage cover story harks back to some of the most prominent designs from (and heavily inspired by) past decades. The next several pages are a visual journey which crosses Art Deco with the Postmodern and beyond. We’ve trailed the city to find the most iconic places and items from East and West that have stood the test of time, but best of all: you can still visit and buy them here in Shanghai.

LINKS: RETRO SHANGHAI
WEAR / EAT / PLAY / RELAX / PEACE HOTEL