The individuals who struck gold in the area's renaissance are those that took
advantage of rising real estate prices by
renting out available commercial spaces that are often sublet to relative latecomers.
"The subleaser divides the space into several partitions. Each partition is about five pings; the rent for each is NT$40,000 to NT$50,000 a month. When young people open up a store with say NT$500,000, they are really cash-strapped considering all the expenses involved, including plane tickets and accommodation if they go to South Korea or other Asian countries to buy stock. And if they don't bring back the right stuff to attract shoppers, the money will soon run out and they're out," Hsiao Po (小柏), the owner of a menswear outlet, said.
Despite the Wufenpu invasion, shop owners and clerks often boast that their products are authentic imports from South Korea and Japan. And it is true that many serious proprietors have to make monthly treks to the apparel distribution centers in South Korea, Thailand and China for
garments with all the trendy elements of the season. Currently, South Korean imports are the most sought-after items since they are considered bargain buys in terms of price, quality and style.
But in the eyes of style insiders, those goods are merely rip-offs of Western brands. "South Korean items are decent copies of big-name brands such as Disgrace and D&G. The cut is great, and their distressed detailing looks exactly like the real deal. People will look at it and go wow, but it just looks good on the surface and won't last," the owner of AWA who goes by the name Paul said.
A stylist for local stars such as Jay Chou (周杰倫), Paul believes original, edgy
Japanese design is the style of the future. Since European and American imports don't fit the more petite physiques of Asians, and casual wear brands plentiful in the East District such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Banana Republic or Gap are not acceptable options for super chic shoppers, Japanese fashion, with its
successful marketing strategy of limited runs and distinctive yet subtle designs, has
gradually won the hearts of style leaders and has spawned a growth of Japanese top to middle-ranged fashion outlets.
"All the international big brands have made moves on young consumers and leaned towards street fashion. It's a good indicator that young people have become the driving force in the fashion business," Paul said.
To Paul and other fans of Japanese street wear, the middle-range fashion niche is up for grabs. "We don't have that kind of capital to play with the brands such as Underground or A Bathing Ape ... but as style leaders who have to look one step ahead and never follow behind, we can bring in more fashion items that are hip and different," the 34-year-old stylist said.
To be fair, the East District territory does have a unique edge in that a profusion of personalized boutique stores and alternative brands fosters cult tastes. Yet as copycats of seasonal cat-walk trends run amok, individ-uality is perhaps a myth, or a white lie at best, sugarcoated by young fashion vendors and consumers alike.
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