I think one would see consistancies in things in China, the color palettes, a westerner who lives in Shanghai and has a store noticed there is certain kitchness in Chinese modern style. I would agree with that.
Arts and Culture
From Shakespeare to The Smiths, Wittgenstein to WarholIn reply to magnetoleung:
It's sad indeed. Why do Chinese authority often felt they have to destroy the past in order to move forward?
maybe they think it's inevitable for progression...economically...I think the Chinese government is the capitalist to the extreme when it comes to money and power...and it is some how how their people just following orders. But some how most of the Chinese are clinging to kind of absurd ancient Chinese ideology. They fantasize the ancient China like a cult. Let me make an example of TV show. For work and leisure I have been living aboard in quite a lot of countries.I have never seen so many historic(fiction and non fiction) drama on TV as I have seen in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong(the so called Asia world city).
Once again just compare the fresh released 2012 London Olympic and the 2008 Beijing you will see.
In reply to magnetoleung:
The example of TV, I wonder it's because for the case in Mainland China, it's safe for them to use stories with history backdrops to criticize the Chinese govn't, fiction or non fiction, it's used as commentary on society as well as entertainment?
I sometimes find some Chinese, especially when they become older, become the same as the generation they tried to rebel against, and use ideology to their advantages and tell the younger people things they themselves hated to hear. The way they talk-I hate it, always tell younger people they don't know or don't understand, when it's them that have become caged in and unimginative and locked in by their habits. And they often practice tradition without questioning and criticize others for questioning habitual routines of traditions.
I feel with the problem with wide adoption of 'ethnic' (as opposed to Western) style- and I know I'm using totally subjective, Euro-centric labels, but roll with it- is that, since it has been appropriated by Westerners in the course of 'Orientalism' and used by designers like St. Laurent and Poiret- we've all seen the Orientalist shows- when something new comes from China and it incorporates authentic Chinese influences, Americans and Europeans just say 'Oh, we've seen that before...' not differentiating between fashion colonialism and the 'real thing'. In other words, it will be hard to Chinese designers to utilize their heritage without looking like they're ripping Orientalist Western designers.
or maybe i'm wrong. i'd love to see.
THere will be some of them who would give what the Westerners expect to see, then there will be some who will try to do something authentic and original, with historic and cultural references. Westerners have to really educate themselves and do more research into Chinese history and culture in order to differentiate the "Oriental" look vs. the more authentic ones.
By don't forget, CHinese culture is one which has taken influences from different countries and merged them into its own, it's ever changing.
have we ever consider that "style" is a western concept?
maybe it is something that the chinese do not concern themselves with?
Dulldesign, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Are we imposing a western idea of style on China? What is the culture of clothes in China?