Monday 24 March 2008

Beijing Yoof

Beijing is much more restrained than Shanghai when it comes to self expression but there are pockets of the cool kids, particularly in the Xidan area which I've taken to exploring to see if there's anything interesting.

I guess that Harajuku thing is beginning to emerge more confidently here and it makes a welcome break from the monotony of monotone or overkill on the colour red. I really like these folk because they have that spark of life which frankly takes a bit of courage. Some people like to invoke the 'nail that sticks out, gets hammered in' rule of thumb for Asia but I say bollocks to that. The nail that sticks out gets noticed.

....unlike most ego driven marketing communications that sadly pass for 'creative'. Few people are willing to champion these folk and yet they are just as valid a part of modern China as the migrant workers who build the endlessly emerging skyline. I also find them refreshingly modest and unchippy.




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