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Red House lures young with fashion

Shoppers visit one of the booths inside the Red House in Ximending, Taipei. The Taipei City Government is trying to breathe new life into the building and make it a meeting point for young people by turning it into a weekend market for creative activities and handicraft products. PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMES

The first weekend fashion market at Ximending's Red House (西門紅樓) in Taipei held its official opening yesterday, with dozens of retailers setting up shop as part of government efforts to revive the area as a young urban hub and to promote creative and cultural activities.

The market, launched by the Taipei City Government, will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 2 pm to 10 pm until Nov. 11.

Aiming to attract young people and tourists, the market features booths selling second-hand garments and handmade accessories, a flea market and other activities, such as live music performances.

Before setting up a regular weekend fashion market, the city's Department of Cultural Affairs held an experimental two-day fashion market festival last month, attracting more than 20,000 visitors and generating revenues of NT$1 million (US$30,000).

Chiu Cheng-sheng (邱正生), a senior specialist at the department, said that city officials were inspired by the rising interest among young people in fashion and decided to hold a regular weekend market at the Red House to revive business in the area, as well as encourage young designers by providing them with a venue to sell their products.

"What the government can do is to give us more support, but it should not intervene too much. Just provide us with locations and give us more freedom."

Winner Yang, retailer

"As a government agency, we hope the weekend market will inspire more private companies to follow our steps and support cultural and creative industries," Chiu said during the opening ceremony yesterday.

Winner Yang, a fashion market regular who quit his job last year to focus on selling his cartoon creations and related products, welcomed the city government's efforts, saying he expected the market to gain in popularity with governmental support.

"What the government can do is to give us more support, but it should not intervene too much. Just provide us with locations and give us more freedom," he said in front of his booth.

Chiu said the department will relax municipal regulations and allow designers to set up booths in municipal parks in the future.
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