My first visit to China!!!
- Shraddhaa Shetty
- Mar 19, 2018
- 4 min read
For my penultimate semester’s module ‘Global Experience’, I've chosen to go to Guangzhou. Guangzhou garners the second highest sales with respect to retail in China which makes it my top pick of destination for this trip. I have never visited China before and this trip will be the perfect opportunity to do so since I will be travelling with my class who understand the culture and language which will put me at ease and make it an enriching experience.
EXPECTATIONS Guangzhou’s big export industry makes for abundance of wholesale fabric markets which I am looking forward to visit to compare to the Indian fabric markets I’m familiar with. I want to learn about and observe the different colours, textures, prints and embroideries trending in the Chinese market, and hopefully bargain my way into buying something reasonable to take back home with me. I’m also keen on contrasting this shopping experience by visiting Florentia Village- a luxury outlet mall.
Apart from the fashion aspect, Guangzhou is the political, economic, sci-tech, educational and cultural hub of southern China and hence has some of the best amusement, entertainment and skyscrapers in China. From taking a stroll and visiting historical buildings on Shamian Island, admiring ancient and contemporary Chinese art at Guangzhou Museum of Art, Times Museum, and Redtory museum of contemporary art; understanding the roots of modern Guangzhou and its rich cultural background at the Lingnan Impression Park and visiting a 1500 year old Buddhist temple, and soaking in the beauty of Baiyun Mountain which is still known as the First Spectacular Scene of the city.
There's a Chinese saying that says Eat In Guangzhou (吃在廣州) highlighting Guangzhou’s great food. I have always enjoyed Chinese food in India, but eating it in the land of it’s origin will be another experience by itself. From dimsums, rice rolls (Cheong Fun), Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine to egg waffles, pan-fried buns and Chinese desserts, the food options are numerous and mouth-watering to think about. I would make a trip to China for the food alone.
The large fashion export industry, rich history amalgamated with contemporary culture and must-try food are some of the many reasons I would like to visit Guangzhou. I am positive that my leanings, adventures and experiences from the trip will not only make me aware about the largest country in Asia that has a huge impact on the fashion industry and my home country India, but will also leave me with memories to cherish as a part of my college experience and truly provide me with a “global experience”.
REALITY
Its safe to say that my trip to Guangzhou outdid my expectations leaving me with new experiences and perspectives on the fashion and culture front. Having only visited garment factories and markets in India, it was interesting to draw comparisons to those of China. It gave me an understanding of the sheer vastness of production and consumption of the country and the distinctive tastes of the consumers with respect to fabrics and accessories. The various store visits covered mass and premium local and international brands which furthered my understanding of the market. The Guangzhou Museum of Art visit provided a broader understanding of the local art and culture, and the store visit to GoFun was particularly interesting seeing how the visual merchandising was done keeping the millennials needs to take nice pictures in mind. My favourite bits of the trip was our visit to Redtory Art and Design Factory which was an industrial-grungy designed lane of museums, cafes, bookshops and boutiques. Each store was uniquely different from the other with stand out visual merchandising and concepts. Every corner was aesthetically pleasing to the eye including a small ice cream shop that looked like a cargo carrier. This lane would be perfect for a photoshoot. Shaiman Island transported me to Europe with its Neoclassical architecture and cobbled stones, bordering the Pearl river that revealed the
skyline of Guangzhou- this too would be a good place for a photoshoot and we did in fact see a shoot for a shoe brand take place while we were there. I also enjoyed our visit to Fang Suo Commune which is possibly the most innovative bookstore I’ve visited that combined fashion, art, cafe and life. Other than pleasing every fashion and design student’s needs, it provided a sense of calmness and quiet which was in contrast to the city. I spent a lot of time in this store just observing the different products from local brands, and the massive array of books. There was a whole rack dedicated to indie fashion magazines and Chinese versions of the commercial ones, and all in all, the store would be a great place to draw inspiration for any creative idea. The talks at
Blue Space gave me realistic insights into the problems faced by fashion brands in China and tips on how to succeed as an entrepreneur. Throughout our trip, we commuted using the MRT and walked for the most part leading to interactions with the locals and getting a better sense of the life in Guangzhou. From meeting a lady with captured frogs in a bucket, to spotting various style tribes, Guangzhou was a very wholesome trip for me as a fashion student and someone who likes to travel. I got to see a 360 degree view of the fashion industry (factory, market, stores, talks from people in the industry, street style) and got to experience the vibe of the city with all its colours, crowd and delicious food. This trip has left me pleasantly surprised and given me a lot to take back from a place I didn’t think I’d ever visit.
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