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December 9, 2011

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Home » Feature » StyleHai

Mix and match for chic outfits

December 9, 2011, Friday | Print Edition

RUSSELL Woo

Russell Woo is the founder of Redworks, a boutique creative agency in Shanghai. Acclaimed as a fashion show director for years, Woo is always on the look out for beauty in daily life and says this magical metropolis always inspires him.

My personal style is mix and match, from both styles and labels. Being chic means never buying a complete outfit. Moreover, I need to feel comfortable no matter what I wear. Comfort brings me confidence.

The most interesting outfit I've worn for an occasion is hard to pick. There are too many interesting outfits in my closet. I wore a Sherlock Holmes outfit recently to a fashion party. The hat was from a designer in London, the cape from Givenchy and the skeleton cane from Alexander McQueen.

I usually shop during my trips. Tokyo is my personal favorite because Japanese fashion really suits me.

If I have to limit my Shanghai shopping to one place, it would be Nanjing Road W. because there are three shopping malls with enough choices. Otherwise, I would choose Changle Road because there are many designer boutiques there.

My favorite fashion brands are Lanvin, Marc Jacobs, Stephane Schneider, Givenchy and Trussardi. I also love a Hong Kong fashion brand called Initial. Their designs are very stylish and yet the price is very friendly.

The designer I most admire is definitely Marc Jacobs. I've been doing events for this brand for such a long time that I know his design philosophy so well. Each of his collections are unique and yet consistently his style.

My best recent purchase was a Samsonite Cosmolite suitcase. It's made to be the lightest suitcase in the world and yet strong enough to hold up in a car crash (you can see that from the ad). For a frequent traveler like me, it's a great buy.

The next fashion purchase I'm eyeing is a Lanvin hat. I adore hats.

My grooming staple is a good facial wash and anti-aging cream. By the way, Estee Lauder ANR is also good for guys.

My signature perfume is Jo Malone Vetyver.

I wanted to visit the Maldives at this time of year. I miss swimming in the ocean so much.

My most memorable destination was India. I went there two years ago and I have to say it's just incredible. The beauty of the country hidden behind the chaos is so rich and colorful. I would suggest anyone who's interested to go there as soon as possible because during the urbanization process the shock will be less and less visible. I think China is actually facing the same problem nowadays.

Kim Leitzes

Kim Leitzes is the founder of ParkLU.com, a fashion and beauty website dedicated to finding the little luxuries in life. The name ParkLU is inspired by Park Avenue in New York City, where Leitzes lived before moving to Shanghai.

My personal style is urban, chic and glam. I've learned to dress more casually since moving to Shanghai, but sometimes I find myself over-dressed.

An interesting outfit for special occasion was my wedding dress. I kept the American tradition of wearing "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue" on my wedding day. I took a (new) Vera Wang dress and made it mine by altering some details and adding some personal touches like a floral brooch from a friend's boutique, vintage clip-on earrings to accessorize my wedding shoes (something old), wearing my mom's diamond necklace (something borrowed) and custom-made blue teardrop earrings designed by my cousin (something blue).

I usually shop on line. My favorite online shop is Cusp.com, which is well-edited like any small, multi-brand boutique, but it's owned by Neiman Marcus, so the inventory depth and breadth is great.

If I have to limit my Shanghai shopping to one place, then it's Taobao - there are some really great hidden gems. If I don't have the luxury of time, then I like to go to Jing'an Villa, Nanchang Road and some boutiques in the former French concession like William the Beekeeper and The Villa.

My favorite brand is 3.1 Phillip Lim - its effortless chic suits an active, modern lifestyle. I can wear a Phillip Lim dress to work and then transition to a night out with minimal effort and time. I also like Max Azria - an affordable, sexy design minimalist without being boring or androgynous. Designer recently left for Halston, so really hoping the design direction doesn't change. Rag & Bone - I love their attention to detail and am obsessed with their jeans.

My best recent purchase was a pair of silver Brian Atwood pumps for 85 percent off at an outlet in Seoul. Amazing!

The next fashion purchase I'm eyeing are two hats to spice up my winter styling. One is bright fuchsia cashmere beanie by a new brand called Mokodo Sports. It's chic and functional. The second hat is a men's wool cap in gray by Moncler - for a different look, totally tomboyish.

My signature perfume is a custom fragrance by Memoire Liquide, a Los Angeles-based bespoke perfumery.

My most memorable destination is Jost Van Dyke, a small island in the British Virgin Islands. I vacationed there once and imagined having my wedding there. Five years later, my dream came true and I had all my family and friends there for a post-wedding beach barbecue, drinking champagne in the ocean and eating caviar off a surfboard. It was so much fun.

I've always wanted to visit New Zealand. I'm not a big outdoors person, but I think New Zealand will bring out the adventure seeker in me.
StyleHai


 

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