As is the case for most expats in Guangzhou, you may find you have very limited choices
when it comes to fitted clothes. Quite a few foreigners have told me that they seldom
buy clothes here, and when they do, they go to the boutiques on Huale Lu only if it is
really necessary. I have been to the shops on Huale Lu, and they mainly sell a selection of largesized
T-shirts and jeans with no decoration or style whatsoever. Clothes are hung or piled up
helter-skelter. What is the worse is that they also look second-hand.
Well, you don't have to worry about it any more. A few select shops have opened in Guangzhou
in the past few years. They have impressive selections of stylish, brand-name clothing in the
sizes you need. These products are mostly either selected overseas or designed by local designers.
Selling genuine goods, those shops are a tribute to the acute tastes of their bosses, which
becomes apparent when talking to them, as their ideas concerning fashion and how it relates
to lifestyle just roll off their tongues. Although their outlooks on style may vary, they all agree on
one point - they never go with the mainstream. Their focus is fashion. So whoever their fashions
appeal to are welcome in their shops.

Fin, short for Fashion Idea & Networking, is acknowledged to be the leading select shop in
Guangzhou by local fashionistas. It offers clothes from Japan, America, Britain, France and Hong
Kong. High-end Casual is what the clothes can be described as. "You can wear our clothes to
office in the daytime and to pubs at nights", says Kenzo, the shop manager. The shop has three
kinds of styles: British street chic, Japanese pop, and high-class casual wear. Different from the
over-sized hip-hop wear in the U.S., British street chic places emphasis on mixing and matching.
Within a fitted cowboy jacket is a T-shirt with wired scribble patterns, and accompanying it is a
pair of skinny jeans that conveys feelings of rebellion. Japanese youth are dressed in a variety
of ways as well. In general, they show a cool, but gentle style. The top Japanese brand of jeans
"Evisu" and t-shirt brand "Multiplecore" are sold there. High-class casual wear is now well received
in Japan and France and is specially designed for urban professionals. Meanwhile, limited
editions of Nike sneakers are available there, which you cannot buy in regular Nike shops.
Also, do not miss their hot sellers - RMC jeans - with their handcrafted and embroidered patterns,
which may cost you several thousand RMB each. Prices there can be a little high, but still,
I have to say it's worth it.

108, Tianhe Nan Yi Lu, Guangzhou (8758 3230)
广州市天河南一路108号