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Oriental Fashion Finds

I've started to notice a serious trend at Zara and pretty much everywhere.  I lived in Shanghai for an exchange in university and the fashion world there, among other things, completely blew my mind! Like everything in China, it's on a scale you can't imagine and the insanely large market attracts the biggest, most luxurious designer brands from around the world.  Not only that, but they have such creativity and style so unlike western culture.  It's incredible.  Probably the best people watching city in the world.  You see fashion and style everywhere you look expressed through a rich blend of cultures new and old. 

Incredible photo taken in Shanghai by our extremely talented friend. Find more of his work here.

I think what makes Shanghai's art and culture scene so vibrant and 'cool' (in the most true sense of word) is that it's such an international city with ancient roots and a new generation of modern young people making it come alive.  They have streets that go on for miles lined with Chanel's, Louis Vuitton's, Givenchy's, Dolce and Gabanna's, etc.  This is all fantastic, but I still preferred to spend hours in the fabric markets buying the perfect silks to have made into dresses I would sketch out or describe to vendors.  China is changing fast and so is its fashion scene.  It used to be that the growing eastern upper class would look to european or western brands as symbols of luxury, but now it's starting to shift and we are seeing their style influence ours (or at least blend with it).  It's subtle, but I think it's safe to say you will see more and more asian styles coming to stores near you! Get excited!! Platform shoes are a perfect example of this!  To prove our point here are a few things from that Zara I noticed reminded me of Shanghai.  I specifically chose items from Zara because it's one of those stores everyone knows and is all over the world! I also secretly remember being overjoyed to find one nearby where I lived.  More shopping recommendations to come from brands at all price points!