"Beijing Cool": Beijing Fashion and Sub-Culture

Remember Fruits and Fresh Fruits, the collection of photographs by Shoichi Aoki, documenting Tokyo street fashion and subculture?  That book was an obsession for me for years.  So I was excited to find this book "Beijing Cool".

Like "Fruits", this is a collection of photos of street fashion by Ai Weiwei, whose style is decidedly more hands-on artistic, rather than the more removed journalistic style of Shoichi Aoki.

The fashion in each book differs as well.  One can assume it is due to cultural differences, but I will also point out that, as a photographer, one still chooses what and whom to shoot.  So the images also reflect the photographer's tastes.  




















In any case, Weiwei's collection from "Beijing Cool" seems to reflect an edgier, grittier more New York style while still maintaining the Asian penchant for bright colors and cartoon references.  It was only in relation to this new book, did I notice how the Tokyo fashion in Aoki's book seemed much more innocent and optomistic, reflecting the politics and mindset of the young people and their personal expressions.  Perhaps Beijing kids have more reason to be a bit darker and more realistic in their views of the world and therefore, their personal self-expression through fashion and art.

In any case, this book is my new obsession, inspiring me to feel more freedom and individuality in my fashion expressions, as I hope it inspires you :)  I will post more images in the future, but for now this is a taste of  street fashion from the other side of the world!