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Benedicte is a well-known, widely respected fashion consultant and stylist. She has written for publications like Vogue and le Monde, and was the personal stylist to Miss China, Du Yang, in 2014.
Name:Benedicte Bro-Cassard
Job: Fashion Consultant, Blogger and Mum (sounds corny but I do have 2 kids)
Hi Benedicte! Can you tell us a bit about your background in fashion and how your career started/ has evolved?
I studied fashion in the mid 80s in Paris, then worked for a few top designers before moving to New York where I lived 15 years. I worked there as a sales manager then director with brands like Fendi, Anna Molinari or Chantal Thomass. Moved back to London in 2001 where I worked for 6 years for London Fashion Week in the marketing dept specifically with the international buyers. Then I had my first baby, and so I have specialized since in consulting to government and particularly fashion weeks.
You have a comprehensive background in fashion. Most people have a very low opinion of fashion in Mainland China. What is your opinion on the style here?
No one from the outside really knows what is happening in China. The Fashion scene in Beijing is so vibrant that I decided to start my blog only a few months after arriving in China. The girls are creative, cool and stylish beyond! I don’t mean everyone of course, but the girls that love Fashion are super cool, and as they have access to everything from the official markets, the grey market and the best copies they really do have a fabulous style. I love them!
What kind of opportunities do you see for people wanting to work in fashion in China? How hard/ easy is it to get your foot in the door?
When I arrived four years ago it used to be that you absolutely needed to be fluent in Mandarin. Now, I think it is a little more lenient. Foreign brands are desperate for reliable, knowledgeable people that actually get what is happening here, so fluency is no longer that crucial, knowledge, loyalty and hard-work are. Particularly since the luxury industry is losing ground with the new president so marketing and PR are more important. I am not sure but I have a feeling that it will be easier for outside people to work in the industry. That said, it is a real industry and we work really hard and in China possibly harder since the brands are sometimes clueless about the market and expect huge numbers in a market that is quite complicated.
What advice would you give people about working in China? Have you come across any challenges or differences in the fashion industry in the East compared with your experience in Europe?
The differences are too vast and too numerous to count but mostly I would say the expectations on both sides of the table are drastically different. The Chinese have a different work ethics and expectations than we do. It does present a challenge to mix both. The other issue, I think is that the brands in Europe or in the US are getting their information about the Chinese market all over the place. The reality is that besides being so vast and different it changes practically every week, I follow closely Jing Daily and find it to be reliable to see what is really happening but still I only look at a small corner of it.
You run fearless-in-beijing, a successful blog.What inspired you to start the blog?
The girls of Beijing. The more I looked at the streets and their style and the more I realized that the clichés about the young Chinese Urban Consumer being crazy about logos and that one could sell her anything as long as it was Vuitton, Chanel or Dior was wrong. They were/are way more knowledgeable and stylish. I also love the emerging fashion scene with the local designers. My favorite stores are Dong Liang and UCCA. I adore brands like Vega Wang, Evening or Christopher Bu. There is such a vibrant fashion scene here, that I wanted to share it with my “Fashion” people back in New York or Europe. Sadly, I got hurt last Christmas and could not work this winter and now I am leaving soon…
On your blog, you photograph street style in Beijing. What makes you stop and take a second glance?
Fashion,beauty or style are as obvious as a slap in the face, so anytime I spot any one of these combos I basically pull out my camera and ask if I can take a photo.Most of the time, the girls say yes. My favorite ever, besides the parties, was Strawberry last year… I took 600 pictures in two hours. It was amazing! I am so bummed that it’s cancelled this year… I was so looking forward to it before I leave.
How do you see the fashion industry evolving or changing here?
In so many ways that it would take a book. I might even attempt to write one. In a nutshell, yes, fashion evolves faster than anywhere else. It was the roaring twenties four years ago, and I don’t mean the Gatsby look, I mean the energy of “anything is possible”. Now things are a little more calm, but the girls with style and money are now looking for niche and more special ‘off-the-beaten-tracks” pieces… It’s even more interesting now and the right designer will always have a market here. Now selling will always be a challenge but I see more and more multi-brands stores with 10CC and Maria Luisa in the top tier, and more boutiques opening with Chinese brands. It will be interesting to see how that evolves.
Has your own personal style been influenced by your experience living in Beijing?
I definitely have loads more jewels and more “designer” bags of various origins that when I arrived… I always dreamt of owning a Chanel.. I now have 5 or 6, I lost track,a few Celine, Goyard in practically every colors, plus a few more solid designer pieces that I paid a fraction of their price in Europe. What actually made me really angry was that after I paid a fortune for my Balenciaga bag in Paris, I sat down and compared with my ‘Chinese’ version and it was virtually identical, give or take a thousand euros difference, that said, the Zoo version did snap after I put too many heavy things in it… For a thousand euros less I don’t care. You pay for what you get, but I find it harder to justify to pay 4 figures for a bag *in euros. Even for unbranded pieces, the prices in China are always right for the quality. I will no longer accept to pay 300 euros+ for a leather bag in Paris, or top-dollar for anything made in China before I check it on Taobao where I have become an expert.
What are a few of your favourite places in Beijing? (restaurants, shopping, visiting etc)
Oh so many…My absolute favorite is Capital M for the food and the view with great service.Din Tai Fung for the dumplings, Colibri for the view on the streets, Mr Shi in BaoChao, Element Fresh when in a rush, Hatsune for the rolls, a little shop off Mao Er for the Tibetan yogurt… Good food is everywhere here, same as France. If you can’t cook, you don’t stay in business long. Shopping: hands down Taobao and the Zoo, with Dong Liang and BNC for real Chinese style. 10 Corso Como and Maria Luisa to keep an eye on the current fashion scene and to find great gifts. I also like Galeries Lafayette for the quick look at current fashion as well, it is definitely evolving in the right direction. Visiting: Beijing Design Week is great to check out what is happening so Caochangdi, DashilarHutong, then around Houhai, the Wall for Eternal China, Park View Green for a touch of Modern China, and North Sanlitun for the girls.
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