GUO PEI, CHINA’S EMPRESS OF HAUTE COUTURE

http://newyorksocialdiary.com/node/1909726 On a Beijing runway, legendary American model Carmen Dell’Orefice strutted in an extraordinary gown by Guo Pei, China’s “Empress of Haute Couture,” which was so heavily embroidered that four men had to assist her. SHANGHAI SOCIAL DIARY by Jeanne Lawrence GUO PEI, CHINA’S EMPRESS OF HAUTE COUTURE BEIJING – Every day in China is an adventure for me, and one of the most fascinating was my visit to the Beijing studio of couturier Guo Pei, a singular talent yet to be introduced to many Westerners. The gifted Beijing beauty produces some of the most sumptuous and exquisite fashions I have ever seen. Take a look at some works from her recent Beijing show: boldly colored, intricate designs and intriguing silhouettes, masterfully executed by needlework artisans.  THE EMPRESS OF FASHION Now 45, and still looking like a college student, Guo Pei was born at the start of the Cultural Revolution, when the drab, functional “Mao” uniforms were obligatory wear. In 1982, at the age of 19, she enrolled at the Beijing Second Light Industry School to study fashion design, influenced by the extravagant costumes she saw in fashion design books. In 1986, she became one of the first professional designers in China, first working on children’s clothing and then graduating to women’s wear. By 1997, she had done well enough to open her own Rose Studio (Mei Gui Fang). China’s premier couturier, Guo Pei’s luxurious, lavishly embellished clothing is a hit among the country’s burgeoning wealthy set. There was no haute couture in China when Rose Studio opened, but designing high fashion and gowns for entertainers was Guo Pei’s dream. The timing was perfect; she launched her career at the dawn of a new “Gilded Age of China.” A new generation of super-rich was emerging, hungry for luxury products and not shy about flaunting their wealth and spending freely in Europe and at home. Guo Pei’s creations are expensive—up to $40,000 for a jacket. But they’re not just clothes, they’re exquisite works of art. Some of her garments have taken as many as 7,400 hours to make and others have incorporated more than 465,000 pearls. MODERN DESIGNS INFLUENCED BY THE PAST Guo Pei’s work is strongly influenced by traditional court costume: the elaborately embroidered and ornamented, silk and fur-trimmed styles worn by Chinese royalty and their court throughout the various dynasties, especially the Ming and Qing eras (1369-1911). Many Chinese consumers, who have also been influenced by these traditions, prefer opulent and colorful styles—so unlike what I see in New York, where women often choose sleeker silhouettes, mostly in basic black! Guo Pei’s work is highly original, but brings to mind Valentino, who also loves   embroidery, color, and luxurious fabrics, and Alexander McQueen, whose designs are similarly extravagant and sculptural. DRESSING THE STARS Guo Pei’s Chinese Blue Porcelain Dress helped Miss China 2012 and Miss Universe 2012 finalist Ji Dan Xu take top prize in the national costume segment of the pageant. Often created for the stage or red carpet, Guo Pei’s designs are bright and ornate—not for a shrinking violet. Her clients include singers, actresses, beauty pageant competitors, prominent performers, and anyone who wants to dress to be the center of attention. They’ve even caught the eye of Lady Gaga, who was lent a selection of heavily crystal-beaded frocks; but at 40 pounds, they were too heavy for Ms. Gaga to sashay around onstage. A SERENDIPITOUS MEETING My friend Carmen Dell’Orefice was the first to mention Guo Pei’s name to me. When I admired a blouse she was wearing at a Museum of Arts and Design gala in New York, she told me the designer was Guo Pei, and I made a note to visit her on my next trip to China. When I next headed to Beijing, I asked my travel agent to make an appointment with Guo Pei, which was not easy. Why didn’t I think to ask Carmen to make an introduction? While in Beijing, I attended a reception at the Belgian Ambassador’s home when a glamorous, petite woman caught my eye, as she was so elegantly dressed. A friend introduced us and, coincidentally, I discovered the woman was Guo Pei herself. “I have an appointment with you at your studio tomorrow!” I exclaimed. I noticed Guo Pei because she was wearing the most stunning shawl I’d ever seen: a royal blue, richly embroidered silk piece edged in fur. AT GUO PEI’S ATELIER, ROSE STUDIO The next morning, I arrived at Rose Studio, located between central Beijing and the airport. Guo Pei’s husband, Cao Bao (“Jack”) Jie, came out to greet me and graciously paid for the taxi. I was expecting a small boutique, but what I found overwhelmed me: a showroom and workshops beyond expectation—a kaleidoscope of colorful fabrics and hand-embroidered, museum-worthy pieces of imaginative design. To my delight, when I arrived at her atelier in the early morning, Guo Pei had already begun sketching a couple of dresses that she excitedly showed me. Although Guo Pei’s many assistants are fluent in English, she prefers that her husband Jack translate for her. The showroom was light, bright, and airy with her collection on view. A golden staircase, adorned with a dragon and vines design, added an opulent touch to the winding staircase to the second floor, where the VIP fitting rooms were located. At the top of the stairs was a wall of photos of Carmen Dell’Orefice, who had modeled Guo Pei’s clothes for an audience of 3,000 at Beijing’s National Stadium in 2009. Carmen compares Guo Pei’s flamboyant fashion shows to Italian film director and opera designer Franco Zeffirelli’s grandiose productions. GUO PEI DESIGNS FOR ME I had told Guo Pei that I had trouble finding unique fashion in China. I was looking for cocktail and evening dresses with a touch of Chinese detailing to reflect my time living in China. I like classic styles, and I didn’t want to look as if I were wearing a costume or bought something at a tourist shop. Guo Pei first showed me an elegant, draped black dress with a special touch of embroidered panels inspired by a Chinese painting. Just what I wanted! For the Asian touch, she suggested embroidering this Chinese design of birds and flowers onto the sleeves of my dress to add an elegant touch. Her inspiration for the design came from this traditional Chinese painting of birds and flowers. THE BLOUSE Since I had asked for a top like Carmen’s, Guo Pei pulled an archival sketch of the original embroidered organza blouse. Guo Pei knew just how to scale down the design, originally meant for model-tall Carmen, so it would suit my proportions. She also sketched pants with a high waistband (to elongate the legs) that was adjustable (very practical, especially with all the banqueting I do in China!). The fitter (who my interpreter said was the best in the shop) came in to measure every part of my body. Knowing I travel constantly, for my slacks she choose a top-quality, wrinkle-free synthetic fabric from a factory in Spain where the “Royal Family” shops. For the frothy piece, Guo Pei ran her fingers along swatches of fabrics and selected a special blue to match the color of my eyes. CHOOSING FABRICS Since her husband Jack’s family is in the textile business in Taiwan, he is knowledgeable in this area. The couple source and buy fabrics directly from Europe’s best factories, mostly in France and Italy. They even buy her silk abroad; though the Chinese invented silk, Guo Pei explained that local silk is manufactured for export, and to keep prices low it’s not always top quality. I asked to browse Guo Pei’s look books, one of which contained Western-style evening gowns, many in red (a “lucky” color in Chinese culture), to see what else I might like to buy. Another book showed more traditional Chinese designs, richly colored and featuring Guo Pei’s special embroidery. MY GOLDEN JACKET  When you find fashion this perfect, you buy it—who knows when you’ll be back? So I added one last item: an exquisitely detailed evening jacket. The hand beading took two women two months to complete. I ordered this in a light bronze shade I thought was perfect for a blonde. I wore my specially fitted couture piece to a New York Philharmonic Chinese New Year concert and dinner at Avery Fisher Hall. THE STUDIO SHOWROOM In her Beijing showroom, Guo Pei’s stunning works transport you to another time and place. This richly patterned, jewel-encrusted gold “tour de force,” is fit for an empress. It took thousands of man-hours to embroider. Guo Pei is known for her exquisite embroidery and sumptuous materials. This evening gown is made entirely of golden panels, upon which craftsmen meticulously embroidered dragon motifs, using real gold thread. Though the embroidery patterns are inspired by traditional imagery, such as this dragon design, the garments are meant for modern times. This regal robe was inspired by British royal costumes of the past. The painstakingly executed, detailed embellishment is proof of the needle workers’ skill. These haute couture works of art are influenced by both Western and Asian fashion sensibilities. Some garments include such precious additions as pearls, jade, gold, and gems. Many of Guo Pei’s creations incorporate age-old Chinese motifs such as dragons, phoenixes, and clouds. THE WORKROOMS When Guo Pei offered to take me on a tour of her workshops, I was astonished at what I saw. She has a fashion empire all under one roof, with the workrooms organized by divisions, such as pattern-makers, embroiderers, and jewelers, allowing her to ensure quality by controlling the entire production process. I was flabbergasted to learn she employs 450 craftsmen, some at her atelier and others elsewhere. That includes 150 designers, pattern makers, and sewing technicians, plus 300 embroiderers. On several floors of her atelier, her tailors cut, sew, and add the finishing touches to clothing. Others work on shoes and jewelry. In the light, spacious workrooms, the workers concentrate on completing the extremely detailed work. EMBROIDERY Guo Pei had to train craftspeople to produce her designs, keeping alive the ancient art and craft of embroidering that had become a lost art during the Cultural Revolution. She hopes to make Chinese people proud of their heritage and inspire a greater appreciation for traditional crafts so they will be preserved. Carmen told me that because it’s costly, craftsmanship of this quality has all but disappeared even in French haute couture. Hundreds of accomplished craftspeople create detailed and elaborate embroidery. It’s the impeccable embroidery that distinguishes Guo Pei’s work. OTHER FASHION ACCESSORIES Guo Pei couldn’t find bold jewelry designs to complement her clothing, so she began to make her own. I noticed that her artisans take great pride in their work. In her workshops, Guo Pei even produces “frogs,” the braided, decorative button-and-loop fasteners that predate buttons and zippers. She draws inspiration from objects, such as these antique hair ornaments. Some use iridescent blue feathers of the rare kingfisher bird as inlay material. I also saw many forms for platform shoes. In China, as in Japan and Holland, they were meant to keep the wearers out of the mud. Throughout history, Chinese aristocrats also wore ornately decorated silk embroidered slippers. Guo Pei’s studio also designs for the Chinese opera and other stage productions, such as ballet and the classical Chinese “Monkey King” epic. MY BILL I’ll never tell you the price (I’m too embarrassed), but I will say that I’m happy they took an American Express card, which has no limit. And there was an 8 in the final figure, which (I was reminded) is a lucky number. On this day, I expected to visit only an hour, but the experience was so exciting and eye-opening that I stayed half the day. It was so gracious of Guo Pei to spend so much time with me. THE FITTING As I was returning to Shanghai in two days, Guo Pei’s workshop rushed to produce the fitting patterns. I stopped at the atelier on the way to the airport and they took me directly to the VIP fitting rooms. Guo Pei wasn’t there when I slipped into the muslin mock-up for fitting the pattern (pink here, though elsewhere muslin is beige). I started to panic: It was too overpowering, the sleeves too big. Then Guo Pei arrived and began editing the blouse right on my body, using her scissors to snip here and there while looking at her sketch. She and her assistants quickly made adjustments to the design and fit of the garment. Men and women worked as a team seamlessly and with great skill, quietly, with barely a word spoken, as they knew their skills so well. My jacket would feature inset panels of Chinese knots adorned with Swarovski crystals, nipped in to whittle my waist and made of a lightweight, festive yet subtle metallic fabric. The finished jacket, which I wore to host a Chinese New Year dinner in honor of my friend Yue-Sai Kan (from Shanghai and New York) at the private Doubles Club in New York. END OF THE ADVENTURE Despite everyone’s attempts to get me to the plane on time, I missed my flight by five minutes. Still, I was able to book another in time to get to a very elaborate dinner party that night at the home of gallerist Pearl Lam. My only regret was not having one of my new acquisitions in my suitcase to wear that very evening! I waved good-bye to Guo Pei as I headed to a flight back to Shanghai. GUO PEI DEBUTS IN NEW YORK CITY ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2013 If you’re in New York City on September 6, you too can experience Guo Pei’s fashion firsthand at “China Fashion Night,” the inaugural benefit for the China Beauty Charity Fund (CBCF), founded by my friend Yue-Sai Kan. Fashion designer Vivienne Tam is the honoree, and the event at the Pierre Hotel will benefit the scholarship program at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Guo Pei’s client base is mostly in China. On the benefit night, she will present her dramatic fashion show for the first time in the U.S. Although she’s still relatively unknown here, I predict that soon you’ll see Guo Pei’s name everywhere in the fashion community, and someday you’ll see her frocks in a museum.

5 Best Things to Say in an Interview

By Catherine Conlan
Monster Contributing Writer

The best things you can say in an interview won’t necessarily get you the job on their own, but they can certainly pave the way. Keep these five things in mind as you go through the interviewing process to give yourself the best chance at landing the job.

Ask Good Questions

According to Howard Pines, founder and CEO of BeamPines, “the best thing a candidate can do at an interview is ask good questions.”

Doing so shows that you are thoughtful and interested in understanding the company. There’s usually a chance to ask questions at the end of your interview, so be ready with questions that show you’re engaged in the process.

Pines suggests several questions, including:

• What are the biggest short- and long-term issues I would need to focus on in this position?
• What would I need to focus on differently than the previous person in this position?
• What organizational issues should I be aware of?

“I’m flexible.”

Whether it’s about possible job duties, a potential start date or simply timing for the second interview, stressing your flexibility makes you easy to get along with.

Hiring managers don’t like complications, and having to coordinate complicated schedules or haggle over a job description eventually just makes you look difficult. While you certainly don’t want to be a pushover -- and “flexible” shouldn’t define your salary negotiation -- show your potential employer that you’re interested in results that work for everyone.

The Company’s Own Words

Before your interview, become familiar with the company’s website and literature. Pay attention to the words used -- what’s important to the organization?

“In your interview, hit key words that appeared on the company website or brochure,” says Olivia Ford ofAdeptio. “These key words might include team, leadership, simplistic, culture or growth.”

Mixing these keywords into your answers can provide a subtle hint that you are plugged in to what the organization is looking for.

“That’s a Good Question.”

Use this phrase instead of blurting out “I don’t know” if the interviewer stumps you with a surprise question. It can give you a few moments to come up with an answer and, in the meantime, strokes the interviewer's ego a little bit too.

Avoid the “I don’t know” answer when possible, but of course don’t lie about your experience or training.

Reasons You Want the Job.

Knowing a job prospect’s motivations is important for managers who are hiring.

During your interview, talk about how this position fits into your future plans and the ideas you have about your career, how it fits with your values, and what you would like to learn from it. Talk about how you see yourself in relation to the company and what you believe you can bring to the position.

These kinds of thoughts show who you are as a person, and go a long way toward giving the hiring manager an idea about how you might fit in the company’s culture and values.

7 Steps to Finding Success as a Millennial Entrepreneur

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Older generations say millennials have short attention spans, a sense of entitlement, and little patience. The fact is, those qualities are not necessarily bad -- especially for young entrepreneurs.

What some call faults can actually be advantages if leveraged in the right way. The key is finding that sweet-spot between youthful enthusiasm and the more “old-fashioned” values that have served as the backbone of business for generations. I started my company when I was a freshman in college. Fourteen years later, we are generating annual revenues in excess of $10 million.

Here’s what I’ve learned about striking that balance:

1. Stay energetic. Starting a successful business requires tireless enthusiasm. You have to be excited about the product or service you’re providing. If you’re not, no one else will be. On the flip side, enthusiasm is infectious. Your excitement can help you secure business leads and build a committed, energetic team. Your Gen X and Boomer counterparts can attest, you will never have as much energy -- and stamina to work through late nights -- as you do now.

Related: Why We Don't Need New Policies to Boost Startup Rates

2. Be impatient. Ironically, sometimes the same people who tell you not to be so impatient will remind you that the early bird catches the worm. What they don’t realize is that your impatience stems from your desire to get that worm! Take that impatience and run with it. When a problem arises, don’t wait around hoping it will get resolved. Take action to fix it immediately. Speed and your drive to produce immediate, quality results will serve you well.

3. Take risks. Launching a successful business almost always requires risk taking. Lucky for you, that pill is pretty easy to swallow right now. When you’re young, you have less to lose from a failed business attempt than you will ever again. If you think you have a good idea, give it an honest try. At the very least, you’ll learn something. Now is the time to be bold.

4. Stay social. Do your parents ask you for help with “the Twitter?” When you’re done rolling your eyes at them, consider what an advantage you have as an entrepreneur. Social Media is indispensable for expanding your network, increasing product awareness and building your brand. While older business owners may be struggling to learn the latest social protocol, it’s already second nature to you.

Related: 10 Myths About Creativity You Need to Stop Believing Now

5. Seek help and advice. Smart entrepreneurs know how and when to ask for help. Talk to business owners you admire, read about successful innovators, and seek out a mentor.

6. Hire experience. There is something to be said for life experience. Consider hiring someone older than you when it makes sense. You’ll set yourself up with a team that has the benefits of youth and the advantages of experience. Mark Zuckerberg hired Sheryl Sandberg, a woman with 15 years more experience than he had. Both of them contribute differently to create a company balanced in youth and business expertise.

Related: 5 Things You Have to Understand Before You Start a Business

7. Stay social, for real. Forming real, personal relationships is good business, and this is often best done face-to-face. I love social networking, but it’s not a replacement for getting to know someone in person. Take your hand off the mouse, move your eyes away from the screen, and go meet someone. What are you waiting for? Your next client is out there waiting for you to find them.

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229676#ixzz2rQp2oeuf

5 Tips for Launching a Side Business

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While some entrepreneurs quit their day jobs to follow their dreams, U.S. News & World Report senior money editor Kimberly Palmer started a side business because she was worried about the stability of her dream job.  

"I felt a lot of financial stress myself in 2009, at the height of the recession, and I felt I had very little job security - people were getting laid off all the time," says Palmer.

Spurred by the need for a backup plan, Palmer launched a business in 2011 selling money workbooks on Etsy - an experience she talks about in her new book, The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life, out this month.

"I discovered a whole world of people doing the same thing, starting side businesses. It really was becoming a big trend," says Palmer. She calls these on-the-side gigs "micro-businesses," which she defines as businesses that may not be paying the mortgage but are providing another source of income.  

Today a micro-business owner herself earning approximately $200 per month from her online shop, Palmer shares her five tips for anyone looking to launch a business on the side.

Related: How to Apply for Your First Business Loan

No. 1: Figure out what you have to offer.

Before starting your own business, Palmer says it's necessary to get a sense of the overall market, and where you might be able to fit in.

"Go to popular ecommerce sites like Etsy, or sites like Fiverr, Elance or Freelancer.com, to see how people are making money," says Palmer. (Fiverr is a marketplace for online services costing $5, while Elance and Freelancer.com help people find freelance gigs online.) By exploring online marketplaces, Palmer says budding entrepreneurs can better understand what they might be able to offer that's unique, or how to price services that others are offering.

No. 2: Keep costs down.

Palmer says a common mistake first-time entrepreneurs make is spending too much to get a business off the ground.

"It's easy to take advantage of existing ecommerce sites," says Palmer, like Etsy or eBay. By setting up shop on one of these platforms, Palmer says entrepreneurs can bypass the need for a potentially costly website.

No. 3: Identify your weaknesses.

While you may be an experienced graphic designer, you may not have a lot of marketing or sales experience. Once you figure out what you don't know, Palmer suggests connecting with other entrepreneurs online to improve your own abilities.

"I copied what the people I admired were doing," says Palmer. In her case, the key to marketing her money workbooks was getting coverage on popular online blogs aimed at mothers; by reaching out to these writers, Palmer was able to increase sales.

Related: 3 Things I Learned Launching an App

No. 4: Test the marketplace.

"It's hard to know or predict what customers want," says Palmer. She says soliciting feedback from clients can help you figure out exactly what's going to resonate with your target audience. In her personal experience, Palmer started out selling paper money planners, but soon discovered that buyers were more interested in online money workbooks.

No. 5: Embrace challenges.

If you're a first-time entrepreneur, it's unlikely you'll hit it out of the ballpark on your first try. However, Palmer says new business owners can't let early-stage struggles get them down.

 "Know there will be failures and bumps along the road. Being entrepreneurial means there's going to be rejection. It just means you have to tweak things or slightly change what you're offering," says Palmer.

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230978#ixzz2rQoGVVJO