Zebra Disco - Vintage goods for society today
- by William Wang
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E-mail CRI, May 16, 2012
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Singer-songwriter, actress and photographer Tian Yuan poses at the event she helped to organize. Photo taken by William Wang for CRI, May, 2012. |
It is no regular evening at Landgent Centre's square. Even from a distance, you can hear the bass thumping and discern the crowd squeezing down into the square.
The DJ is busy at his console, little girls in ballerina outfits huddle by the stage, while people squeeze between the striped booths, looking for clothing, jewelry, miscellanea or snacks.
Tonight is the night for Old For Good's Zebra Disco, an annual secondhand clothing and goods market that is appearing in Beijing for its second time.
According to actor-singer-photographer-organizer Tian Yuan, 90% of the items on sale are secondhand or made from recycled materials. As the Chinese population embraces economic development, the thrust to buy new things is the accepted norm; but here people have the chance to pore through items personally donated by over 40 designers, TV hosts, models and others.
"We had the first Old for Good last year," Tian Yuan says. "We invited a lot of celebrities like models, actors and TV hosts because they often have a lot of clothes and accessories that they only wear once. So we thought it might be good for them to sell some stuff… then the money can help more people."
Tian Yuan knows that more than just a consumer event, Zebra Disco is a cultural event. Influential people sell their ideas and their tastes, in an environment that bridges the gap between boutiques and parties.
"Now in China there's a lot of cheap products… there's no value and no love behind those products. So we want to provide people a new concept about how we shop, what we buy, and what's behind the products," Tian Yuan comments, before noting what shopping could be socially.
"It's like a party because… in Beijing people often stay at home and shop online and choose from thousands of products… this is a place for us to have a face to face shopping experience."
But one shouldn't forget that people shop here for a cause. Proceeds from Old For Good go to Angel Mom, an NGO that helps abandoned and disabled children. This year Angel Mom received over 15,000 rmb from vendors. Tian Yuan understands that the best way to support the charity is by providing special products at reasonable prices.
"It's quite good," commented Zhao Zihan, a shopper. "There's lots of people and the weather's hot. The clothes look great… and are good value. [Me and my friends] all bought something."
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