Asian Designers Infiltrate High End Fashion

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

I'm a huge fashion-industry follower and I LOVED this article and found it very interesting.

I've always admired Derek Lam, Junya Watanbe, and Peter Som's collections, but it's only been recently that I think they've really started to become commercially popular and be on the same playing field as the nonasian but relatively new designers like Proenza Schouler or Behnaz Sarafpour.

I thought the article made a good point in noting that a reason for the relative lack of Asian designers might be because "becoming a fashion designer were equivalent to dreams of being a small-time seamstress" to many families. I know that if I told me mom I wanted to pursue something like that for my career she wouldn't be happy - at all. My mom wasn't totally unreasonable where I could only be a doctor or lawyer, but I know she would want me to get a job with financial security. How strict were your guys' parents with your career decisions? Because I had asian friends whose parents were a lot more lenient than mine and really wouldn't care what type of job they decided to pursue.

I also thought it was interesting that the new asian designers' style was mostly leaning towards the more simple and understated instead of the loud and in your face type of style. I couldn't really think of any certain reason why this was, except for that maybe most of the rest of the fashion industry seems to be leaning towards the "less is more" attitude lately as well..

[Anonymous]

When i opened up this article, the picture at the very beginning of the page caught my attention. It pictures an Asian designer with two Caucasin models posing his fashion line. Which brings me to the point that we see very little Asian models, actors, and famous people in American media and movies. We all see it, and in some ways acknowledge that this is how it should be in our society. You don't see Asians portrayed in the media as the beautiful race nearly as predominantly as Caucasins are embodied as beautiful. I just found it ironic that instead of posing asian models in the picture that they instead chose to put two Caucasin women in to represent an Asian designer. In our society which has built so much on the majority race, it seems almost a shame that Caucasin women are used to promote the growth of Asian designers instead of using Asian models. I guess in a way it's like showing that Asian fashion designers are the next big thing, and Asian models have yet to transcend into the spotlight. But I was definitely excited to see these new up-and-coming designers recognized admist top names in the fashion industry. It's really refreshing to see these innovators, brining in their own style, and heightning the underrepresented Asian culture.

[Anonymous]

Okay, so one last thing about underrepresented Asians in American media...sorry Chi that this sidetracks from your review on the new wave of Asian designers. So my friend showed me this article about Asians roles in primetime television...something we can all relate to when we switch on the tv.

So I thought many of the statistics were interesting and it just adds to my discussion in my earlier post about how ironically asians are not shown in a typical Asian setting--i.e. in the opening picture in the article how asian models aren't modeling asian fashion, and like in the article how there are no asian actors in the tv show "Charmed" when it takes place in San Francisco which houses a very large Asian community. [Edit by="avu on May 10, 7:41:57 PM"][/Edit]
[Edit by="avu on May 10, 7:42:22 PM"][/Edit]

[clay dube]

Anna's comments about images of Asians caused me to reach deep into my email inbox to retrieve this message. It came just after our class on Monday evening. As editorial director of Asia Pacific Arts and AsiaMedia, I get a lot of these invitations. You'll note that I didn't post it to the AI jobs page.

Stereotypes are obviously alive and well in Hollywood.

****
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 7:52 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Assistance needed - feature film seeking Asian extras

We're casting an independent feature film titled "BABY" to be shot in the Los Angeles area from 5/16/05 to 6/12/05. Any help you can provide in spreading the word to the local Asian community would be VERY helpful!
Extras need only be available for 1-2 days in this time frame.

We are holding an OPEN CALL for MOVIE EXTRAS and are seeking the following types ONLY:

NON-UNION EXTRAS: NON-UNION ONLY for this project. Pay rate $54 for 8 hours plus overtime (basically minimum wage plus time and 1/2 after 8 hours). Standard work day is approximately 8-12 hours. MUST be legal to work in US and have valid photo ID & social security number.
ASIAN - Chinese men 55-75
ASIAN - Upscale Korean, men & women, age range 30-50
ASIAN - All Asian types, neighbors, all ages
ASIAN - Hip & Trendy clubgoers, attractive, men & women, age range 18-35
ASIAN - Vietnamese gang types, thugs/punks, male, age range 18-25
ASIAN - Male bodyguards, heavy set with multiple tattoos
ASIAN - Korean gang types, thugs, male, age range 18-25
ASIAN - All Asian types, Male & Female, clubgoers age range 18-45
ASIAN - Nude, female, body doubles (higher rate $350-$400/8, MUST be willing to work completely nude in tasteful simulated sex scene)
ASIAN - Barely dressed Speakeasy customers, Female, all ages
ASIAN - Chinese gang types, male, age range 18-25
ASIAN - Hookers, Female, all ages (MUST be comfortable with skimpy attire)
ASIAN - Female, Beautiful/attractive women, age range 18-40
ASIAN - Juvenile detention kids, male, age range 18-22 to look younger (MUST have shaved head or be willing to have head shaved)

Basically, we need a Non-Union ALL ASIAN Extras cast. If you are not Asian, please DO NOT attend this Open Call. We have other projects that will be posted at a later date.

WHEN: Sunday - May 15th, 2005
3:00p to 5:00pm

WHERE: Crossroads of the World Plaza (outside in the courtyard)
6671 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood
(at Sunset & Las Palmas. On street parking in area)

HOW: Just show up ready to fill out paperwork. If you have a 3x5 photo or
a headshot please bring one with you. If not, we will take a polaroid of you. This is a FREE Open Call for our paper files on this project only. (If you would like to register for our digital files for other OLC projects, you will be able to do that at the open call also. For digital registration there is a $15.00 cash only fee. Digital registration NOT required to work on "BABY")

If you have questions, please email me at: [email protected], otherwise I will see you on Sunday 5/15/05!!

Thanks!
~Tina Kerr
Extras Casting Director - "BABY"
ON LOCATION CASTING

[Anonymous]

I thought Anna's attachment was really interesting and made me think a little more on the roles that Asians are typically cast in for movies or tv shows.

First off, everyone knows of the typical image of the overly studious and obedient Asian teenager and her over-the-top strict parents. This stereotype was used in the WB's Gilmore Girls, and while it can sometimes be entertaining, I was often annoyed at HOW over-the-top it became sometimes because these stereotypes are often taken to huge extremes and just become annoying. Another typical role is the mean Asian girl, like Lucy Liu's character in Ally McBeal...

I just saw the movie Sideways this past weekend, and I don't know if any of you guys have seen it, but I thought the casting of Sandra Oh to be really interesting. Her character stuck in my mind because she didn't play any typical Asian. The center of her character didn't revolve around teh fact that she was Asian, and in fact her role could have been played by an actress of any nationality. I think this is really rare because Asians seem to only be cast because their ethnicity is important to the role.. I dont know if that made sense but yeah..

[Author]

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