Alexander Wang x H&M 2014--Rethink Designer Collaboration x Fast Fashion

Alexander Wang x H&M 2014

In the summer of 2014, fast fashion megastore H&M announced plans to collaborate with the hottest kid of New York---Alexander Wang (a.k.a王大仁)—and launch the exclusively seasonal line in November 2014. Already known the low prices, such as H&M offers a 9,99 EUR women’s sports tank (without support), with the additional label and AW fonts (abbreviation for Alexander Wang) and the numbers go up to 29,99 EUR (without support). H&M has been accused for exploiting overseas workers’ benefits and wages, and the serious collaborations with high fashion designers (such as 2012 Masion Martin Margiela x H&M and 2013 Isabel Marant x H&M) may lead to the further issues on sweatshop labour and environmental disaster.

At the beginning of September, 2014, H&M has already displayed 7^_storey high advertisement on the wall of Forum (one of the major shopping malls in Helsinki Centre); in the middle week of October, 2014, a 15-second TV commercial  ‘Alexander Wang x H&M’ broadcast every day, showcasing top models such as Joan Smalls or Anna Ewes. Imaging how much advertising campaign H&M spends on this fast, chic and quick line, only for the making of hot money. 

On November 6 th, 2014, -1’c in Helsinki, fast fashion fashionista line up outside of H&M along Aleksanterinkatu (major shopping street in Helsinki), after the door opens at 08:00AM, the cluttered store is packed with wowing, yaying and cashier clicking. I like Alexander Wang’s clean and sleek cutting design, no doubt, and I have 0 sports tank for my yoga practice, so I take over 40 minutes to select a grey/black one with AW symbols, Made in Italy (which is good), 68% Polypropylene, 24% polyamide and 8% elastane (which is not meet up my expectation, since I wish there shall be at least 25% of cotton), 29,99 EUR. I also choose sports towel set (a 140cm x 70 cm and a 30cm x 50cm, plus a backpack), Made in Turkey, 100% cotton (which is nice), 29,99 EUR. Finally I spot a well-designed AW-font carved whistle wrapped inside a delicate giftbox, 100% plastic, Made in China, 9,99 EUR. At first I thought this price is not that bad for a cute item, unfortunately I found out that the whistle is quite hard to blow any sound.

H&M on season-limited campaign always does a good trick, not just for the sake of the name, but also on the timing. While loads of customers would like to wake up before office hour to line up outside of the store, it proves the facts that, not just the high popularity of the designer, but also the great success of the marketing strategy, which, also slyly grasps humans’ psychological weakness: It’s a shame not gaining any worms back when being an early bird. For the sales, H&M does really well. But for the sense of clothing value, year after year H&M drags down how we think about clothes. According to Dana Thomas, author of ‘Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster’, points out that the collaboration line are designed to do almost one thing—push shoppers into a purchasing frenzy while they only know they’re owning some items with the designer’s name labels on, with expectation on ‘clothing cost virtually none.’

I haven’t done any laundry on my Alexander Wang x HM sports tank and towels yet. Once I do, I definitely report the result on Art Accede. 

Works Cited & Photography:

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/8-reasons-rethink-fast-fashion.html

www.hm.com

Magazine Madness: Frankie Issue 62, 2014/ From Design to Life

Issue 62, From Design to Life

From Australia, Frankie magazine is a bi-monthly printed press about design, art, photography, fashion, travel, music, craft, home and life. It has been always standing as a beautiful mini window on my working desk. From Issue 50 Frankie abandons having cover girl shots, and since Issue 55, there is no extra subtitle or line on the front page, only amazingly expressive illustrations to judge its appearance.

When I was living in Taiwan, it’s unpredictable to know when Frankie arriving at Eslite bookstore but still, the chance is a lot higher to get than in Helsinki. Frankie Issue 62, 35 swimmers/divers/yoga goers wearing tropical plants as deco-hats, Illustrator Carla Fuentes’ pastel tone catches my gaze, totally. Frankie’s Editor-in-Chief, Jo Walker’s words declare the voice of this Aussie indie mag: ’What world needs now, clearly, is more normality, more fabric, more vom-in-mouth moments and either or less love or work, depending on who you talk to.’ 

On photography part, Swiss photographer Joel Tettamanti documents Lesotho’s collective kobo blanket obsession, that those beautifully knitted pieces are given at various points in Basotho life: birth, graduation or weddings. Via capturing the local nature as background and adapting ‘CREMA’ filter, Tettamanti creates a mystic but yet natural reality of African kingdom. 

On Fashion, Photographer Natalie Mccomas and Stylist Stefanie Ingram on ‘Totally Cactus’, exhibiting those cute accessories on spiky and succulent cactus, echoing the cover art of Frankie Issue 62. Furthermore, on page 74 & 75, Lenka Clayton and Michael Crowe sign, seal and deliver to every household mysterious letters as their lifelong project. I like the note the most, is:

‘Dear Erwin, I believe that after reading this small, simple letter, you will go on to have not just the best week of your life, but one of the single best weeks in human history.

With Love, 

Lenka & Michael’

And that's not the only reason to start doing backflips, Issue 62.

Works Cited & Photography: 

more info and photos of Joel Tettamanti is on: 

http://www.tettamanti.ch/pages/tettamanti.html

www.frankie.com.au

On the Road: Tokyo Trip—Asakusa Shrine, EBiS Exhibition & Gotemba Outlet

October 23-25, 2014

Senso-ji(金龍山浅草寺) is the oldest and most significant Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Tokyo. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism, it became independent after 1945. Japanese legend shows that a statue of the Kannon was found in Sumida River in year 628 by two fishermen brothers. The chief of their village, Hajino Nakamoto, recognized the sanctity of the statue and enshrined it by remodeling his own house into a small temple in Asakusa for the worshiping of Kannon statue.

While travelling, I always prefer ancient churches, castles, temples or houses than modern architecture. Additionally, Nakamise-dori (仲見世通り) is a street market approximately 250 meters on the approach to the temple, there is no way I would like to miss this path packed with Japanese traditional handicraft shops and food stalls.

From Omotesando, Gate Kaminarimon, on the left side performs the God of Wind, on the right, stands the God of Thunder, which is commonly known as the ‘Thunder gate’. The enormous red lantern ‘Thunder Gate’ was a gift from Panasonic industrialist Knontsuke Matsushita (松下幸之助) after his health-wishes was rewarded at Senso-ji.

Before entering the temple, it is a traditional etiquette to wash hands at the fountain. The Kannon is behind the barbed wire, surely it is a necessarily protection measure, still the Kannon is grounded at certain level in my opinion. I would like to test and pray for my luck for the up-coming year, so I put a hundred Yen coin to the donation box, shake the lots a bit, upside down the kettle and I get a bamboo stick written 86 in kanji. Following the number and pull the tiny wooden drawer, Oh! What the best fortune!

The last two lines of the poem on lucky charm paper go as follow:

You will become virtuous with learning; your wishes will be realized;

While riding horse in spirit, all will praise you high.

After the temple trip, I go to Pro1 Fashion Trade Show with friends from Hong Kong. Held in EBiS 303, though only 31 exhibitors in total, still there all quite some young impressive designers full of creativities and passion. Though due to the no photo policy, I can show very a few glimpses of the show, still I recommend CHEEKLDN by Charlotte Yamada, Mink Pink from Australia, Primitive Action Shiroma and hactin from Tokyo.

On Friday I decide to relax myself, away from the hustle bustle Tokyo City, I take JR bus to Gotemba Premium Outlets. Located in Fukasawa, the outlet is also where Fujiyama in the neighbourhood. I choose to travel at least 3 hours on transportation, because I bet on chances to take photos of Fuji Mt. while doing shopping. Furthermore, the design of the outlet is American village style, walking between bridges and stores is very fun as well.

Alas Fuji is still hidden behind the clouds, even the sky is clearly blue. Surrounding among Chloé, Dior, Kate Spade, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Prada, Vivienne Westwood, Tsumori Chisato, or even Godiva, though most of the collection apparently too pricy to go crazy buy, I still treat myself a Chloé lambskin cosmetic bag (I would treat it as a long wallet) and a pair of sophisticated stockings by Tsumori Chisato. It is not a super bargain to buy luxurious goods in Japan, but adoring the styles and materials of my new purchase, plus the nice service with tax free, it’s definitely one of my best outlet hunting experiences.

I am very grateful for whom I met, where I have been, what I have taken responsibilities and eaten during these 10 days. To me, Tokyo trip is no doubt beautiful, eventful and inspirational.  

Special Thanks: Team MH, Team MINGO, Iwasaki and those great people I meet during my Tokyo Trip October, 2014.

On the Road: Tokyo Trip—Fashion World Tokyo 2014 & Venus Fort

Fashion World Tokyo 2014, October 20-22, 2014

Fashion World Tokyo is one of the biggest Fashion Trade Expo on earth. For wholesaler, importer, retailer, manufacturer, boutique owner or any apparel addictive, Fashion World Tokyo is a wonder museum for treasure hunt. Held in spring and autumn, in 2014, there are over 500 companies attending, from Taiwan to Portugal. I start to prepare the articles, items, photos, texts and the paper works this mid-September at Helsinki studio; after nearly a hundred of emails, finally, on October 3^rd expo staff confirm that our booth construction, electrical service, rental furniture and interpreter fully stand-by. At Tokyo Big Site, I work averagely almost 10 hours for 4 days, from the decoration, reception, packing-up, contacting and replying up-coming emails. It’s a challenging duty but still a perfect chance to get to know new clients and encounter the possibilities. The only problem is that I become thirsty and starving extremely easily after work, yes, all the time, straight to midnight.

Going shopping and trying Japanese food are always the best remedy to solve my both mental and physical desires. In 2002, my high school mate and I were then backpackers, encountered Venus Fort, while at that time not seeing Yurikamome Line fully completion. 12 years later, it only takes 15 minutes to Venus Fort from Tokyo Big Site by taking monorail. I target Venus outlet (3^rd floor) and check Vanessa Bruno, Marni and moussy, very luckily I found bargain apparels and happily checkout. Venus Grand (2^nd floor) has Roman fountain and church plaza to take lovely photos. I hang around at Venus Fort until the closing-time song jingles.