On the Street.....Theatre Lane, Hong Kong

I love how the bag really brings a lot of color to this look.

Sorry I was out of touch for a few days in Beijing. I don't think I have ever gone so long without posting - I was having withdrawal symptoms !

I really like Hong Kong but Beijing rocks!!!

Hong Kong really is just like New York in the feel of the city but Beijing really feels like China.

It was such a challenge to shoot on the street in a city where people not only don't speak English but they don't speak a language anywhere close to my language.

At least in Italy I can say a few words in English or bad italian and the subject basically understands but in China they had no idea what I wanted to do. Most people thought I wanted them to take a picture of me with my camera.

I have never been turned down for taking a photo in my life but I guess I understand the reasons.

Anyway, eventually I got the hang of it and got some really great images in both Hong Kong and Beijing that i will be posting this week. I also look forward to writing a little more to help explain what I was seeing.

Sorry not many (any) men's photos on this trip, the men's style ,in general, really lags behind the women's. That will be my big challenge next time.

I guess it is safe to announce now that I will also start doing a page every month in Vogue China starting January or February.

This came up before I went on this trip. Of course I was excited to do the page but after this visit I am now double, extra excited about being involved with Vogue China.

I will talk more about the team at Lane Crawford later in the week but I want to thank them again for sponsoring this trip and taking such good care of me.

I would like to say I was shocked by just how good the Lane Crawford stores are but ,honestly, wasn't that shocked because I knew they were good but I had no idea they were THAT good, that level of good.

I spent 15 years in sales and marketing dealing with department and specialty stores all around the world before i started this blog. During that time I developed very strong opinions about what makes a great store and what a great shopping experience should feel like. The fact that I don't write about stores very often should tell you that ,more often than not, I am rarely excited by most shopping experiences but this trip to the Lane Crawford at IFC and Beijing was really inspiring.

More than the beautiful stores and great locations, I was really impressed by the edit of the buy for each designer and the depth of strong fashion pieces. No safe, watered-down presentation of Marni or Dries that often happens in stores solely driven by the bottom line and lacking in a clear long range vision.

Ok, I can feel I'm starting to get worked up here and I could write at length about this but I have to catch my plane back to New York. I will continue this thought later in the week.

Thanks Sarah!!