It was hot and sweaty at Robyn Hung's spring/summer fashion show on May 6. Fire dancers, models and guests spilled onto the streets of Tienmu and African beats flavored the air.
It was more party than fashion parade as spectators joined performers in tribal dances and drums from the Pan Africana Cultural Troupe. The collection and even the wedding book Hung is currently promoting, seemed to be secondary.
At the center of it all was Hung, dancing and directing the show.
"That's the spirit of Robyn," someone was overheard saying as she left the designer's boutique on a tropically warm Saturday night in suburban Taipei.
"Clothes were not the centerpiece of the show," said organizer Braulio Flores, who is from Brazil. "Robyn wanted people to have a good time, she didn't want just name cards, hired celebrities and skinny models."
Instead, full-bodied African women bounced around the store, showing off to the full Hung's light and flouncy creations. Foreign models in a range of shapes, sizes and skin colors started up conga dances.
As for the outfits, this season's Moroccan and African collections seemed to merge, so the overriding impression was of earthy but vibrant yellows, greens and browns.
Beads, rhinestones and natural objects such as dried wood, and metal fasteners were woven into or sewn onto the fabrics to provide texture. Jungle prints and tribal patterns completed the look.
"It was like Africa through the looking-glass," Flores said. "Robyn's label is about young,
independent girls who are into traveling, having fun and experiencing different things and different cultures."
Model, dancer and Descendants of African People (DAP) co-founder Jaleea Price said the combination of African, Taiwanese and Western influences was a "mixture of aesthetics."
"The party was fun and made a big impression. I guess the clothes were not the emphasis but an interesting part of the whole event. Some of the pieces I was attracted to and others I wasn't," Price said on Tuesday.
"Funny enough, I'm at the shop now to buy something that caught my eye. I talked to the models and they all said the same: `There was something for everybody, but not everything was for everybody.'"
"Robyn wanted to be different," Flores said. "It's not just about the clothing, its about a statement, a feel. That's what she's representing. The intention was to create a vibe and show fashion that had a groove."
It worked.
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at
Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s the fairest Disney live-action remake of them all? Wait, mirror. Hold on a second. Maybe choosing from the likes of Alice in Wonderland (2010), Mulan (2020) and The Lion King (2019) isn’t such a good idea. Mirror, on second thought, what’s on Netflix? Even the most devoted fans would have to acknowledge that these have not been the most illustrious illustrations of Disney magic. At their best (Pete’s Dragon? Cinderella?) they breathe life into old classics that could use a little updating. At their worst, well, blue Will Smith. Given the rapacious rate of remakes in modern