Research and Other Investigations from China

“Tigress Tycoons” for Newsweek

Zhang Xin/张欣, Yang Lan/杨澜, Zhang Yan/张兰 and Amy Chua pose for a portrait at Capital M in Beijing, China for Newsweek.

This was one of my most intimidating assignments to date: a portrait of three of the richest females in China along with Amy Chua, the author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, in less than ten minutes before their power dinner. It really was a Tigress Tycoons showdown. The leader of the streak, in my eyes, was Zhang Xin/张欣 (far right). Her company, SOHO China, is easily one of the top real estate developers in China, building some of the most daring (and sometimes dastardly) megablocks in the country. These properties reshaped Beijing’s skyline and netted her about $2.7 billion. Forbes and the Financial Times consistently list Zhang Xin as a top businesswomen in Asia. Her biography is also staggering. She saved up money working in Hong Kong garment sweatshops before moving to England to study at Cambridge and on to New York City to work at Goldman Sachs. Amazing. Next to Zhang Xin is Yang Lan/杨澜, also know as the “Oprah of China” thanks to her massive television presence and media empire. While not a rags to riches story like Zhang Xin, Yang Lan hit it big on Chinese domestic television, sometimes garnering viewing audiences in the hundreds of millions. She was one of the first talk show hosts in mainland China who really spoke her mind and cofounded Sun Television Cybernetworks.

Last and certainly not least of the Tigress Tycoons is Zhang Yan/张兰 (far left). She founded the popular South Beauty restaurants with now boasts over forty locations throughout the country. Known for their opulent settings, they also serve up extremely tasty Sichuan fair. Zhang Yan completed the female power trifecta. Amy Chua is nothing to scoff at of course, but fits into a different category with her academic and literary accolades. Her book promoting the “Tiger Mother” parenting method  sent waves around the world, especially in mainland China. There is even now an “Eagle Dad” spinoff category. Anyway, it was a bit tense at first getting all the ladies together, but thanks to the antics of Zhang Xin’s husband, Pan Shiyi, who decided to take photos along with me, the ten minutes passed without a hitch. Be sure to check out Amy Chua’s accompanying profile of the Tigress Tycoons.

Zhang Xin/张欣, Yang Lan/杨澜, Zhang Yan/张兰 and Amy Chua pose for a portrait at Capital M in Beijing, China for Newsweek.

“A Future of Price Spikes” – Vegetable Stall Owners in Time Magazine

Time Magazine "A Future of Price Spikes" clipping

One of my first assignments for Time Magazine is finally in print. I spent a few days in Guangzhou earlier this year shooting formal portraits of vegetable stall owners for an article on rising global food prices. A combination of natural disasters and inflation continues to create a spike in food prices across China. Affordable basic necessities such as electricity, food, water and transportation are always a mainstay of the Chinese Communist Party, but these increases seem to be beyond their control. Consumption of food across China is rising dramatically in line with increased wealth in both rural in urban areas. Everyone wants pork and extra rice at dinner. Many of the figures in the article are actually quite alarming. Global food prices already increased 39% over the past year, food production must increase 70% by 2050 to meet the demand of swelling populations and the average amount of meat people consume has doubled over the past three decades. Despite our profound ability to manipulate our environment, we are going to have to rectify many of our eating habits, not only to combat increased food demand, but also to stave off the rising spectre of obesity. Still, I am going to have my fill of tacos while I am in New York City this month.

Wangquan is 56 years old and a mother of three. Her parents also live with her at home.Machuangran is 16 years old and works at the market when his parents are busy. He lives at home with his older sister.

Liuhaili is 28 years old and lives her husband and son. Her husband also works at the market.Wang Di is the youngest of three children and still lives with his parents.

An assortment of vegetables and garlic at a Guangzhou vegetable marketPeppers are one of the commodities that has seen the highest price rise at a Guangzhou vegetable marketPeppers are one of the commodities that has seen the highest price rise at a Guangzhou vegetable market

“China Dreams” – New South China Mall in Time Magazine

Time Magazine Clipping: China Dreams

I published another photograph in Time Magazine this week. Apparently it can be found in the international version and some of the domestic ones as well. They used a photo from my recent series New South China Mall: The Empty Temple of Consumerism for a China investment story entitled China Dreams. I also took some portraits for Time Magazine in Guangzhou last month for a story that should be published in the near future (can’t talk about it yet). However, the rebellion in Libya and disasters in Japan are consuming most news outlets right now and a lot of scheduled features are being pushed back. It was great working with the editors at Time Magazine. Hopefully more of my work will be in print soon.

New South China Mall: The Empty Temple of Consumerism

A lone security guard watches over one of the empty courts at the South China Mall.

A local billionaire built it, and they did not come. The South China Mall was the most ambitious and largest retail space every conceived in China, if not the world, when it opened in 2005. Constructed smack in the middle of the Pearl River Delta between Shenzhen and Guangzhou, about 4 million people live within six miles of it, 9 million within twelve miles and 40 million within sixty miles. Nonetheless, six years later, the South China Mall only maintains a 1% occupancy rate at best. This unabatedly empty temple to consumerism remains unfinished on top floors and is only sporadically visited thanks to the attached amusement park, Amazing World. For the time being dust and dismembered mannequins reign over the 6.5 million square foot venture. Although China might be the fastest growing consumer market in the world, the South China Mall reveals the vulnerability of this burgeoning economic giant. Also, check out this short film done on the place by Sam Green.

Mannequins and shelving are all that remain of a shuttered clothing store in the South China Mall.

Much of the retail space in the South China Mall remains unfinished and layered in dust.The empty food court at the South China Mall.Much of the retail space in the South China Mall remains unfinished and layered in dust.

Some people still take boat rides on the canal winding through the empty South China Mall.Four abandoned mannequins are all that remain in this retail space at the South China Mall.A child and his parents play with remote control cars in the main hall of the empty South China Mall.

A security guard patrols the empty halls of the South China Mall on a bike.Advertising lightboxes remain empty at the South China Mall.The seven-floor parking lot of the South China Mall remains empty.

House of Barbie: Shanghai’s Barbie Princess Training Center

The main staircase in the House of Barbie displays an overwhelming number of Barbies all dressed in pink

Just days before Barbie’s 50th birthday last March, the House of Barbie opened its doors in Shanghai and introduced China to over six floors of Barbie merchandise and services that catered to almost every need of a Barbie-princess-in-training. It was a full on Barbie assault from the start as you rode an entrance escalator bathed in pink light with the sound of giggling girls playing in the background. Aside from a daunting array of Barbie doll varieties, there was also a Barbie spa offering services such as the Plastic Smooth facial or Barbie Bust Firming treatment, a Barbie catwalk where girls can dress up as Barbie and put on their own fashion show, a Barbie design center where creatives can produce a custom-made Barbie, and a Barbie Cafe complete with Barbie-themed food and a pink martini bar. The Barbie spearhead into China came with a US$30 million dollar price tag and huge expectations. Sales of Barbie continue to fall with the financial downturn and Mattel International is counting on China to pick up the slack. With the spa and martini bar, the House of Barbie also hopes to stir up interest amongst older women in China who otherwise wouldn’t be targeted in western markets. Major designers such as Vera Wang, Patricia Field of “Sex and the City” fame, and handbag maker Judith Lieber all contributed to the merchandise including a US$15,000 Barbie wedding dress. Barbie, known as “Ba Bi Wa Wa” in Mandarin, still faces plenty of hurdles without the pedigree heritage she enjoys in western countries. Despite initial enthusiasm for the business model, Mattel was forced to downgrade sales expectations by 30% within the first six months of opening the House of Barbie. The interest is there, but whether or not Barbie can have her way with China and engender a new generation of Barbie princesses is yet to be scene. Check out more coverage by the Wall Street Journal and BBC as well as a CNN report detailing a blow-by-blow account of trying to spend twelve hours straight in the House of Barbie.

A pink tunnel that emits the sound of giggling girls leads up to the main floor of the House of Barbie

The main floor of the House of Barbie contains over 1600 Barbie productsThe House of Barbie caters to every possible aspect of your life, including where you sleepBarbies of every ethnicity are on display at the House of Barbie

A dejected boyfriend sits in the corner of the House of Barbie while his significant other shopsThe House of Barbie sports a catwalk where young girls can dress up like Barbie and partake in their own fashion showA wall in the House of Barbie features cutout faces so that you can pose with Barbie at a grand ball

Girls are transformed into Barbie princesses at the House of BarbieThe House of Barbie celebrates the little black dressThe story section shows how every girl can become a magical Barbie princess and save Flutterfield from the Skeezites

Barbie girls can become anything they want at the House of Barbie, even doctorsThe Barbie Cafe offers all sorts of Barbie-themed candies and mealsAdults can even order pink Martinis at the Barbie Cafe

Patrons can even create their own Barbie in the custom design center at the House of BarbieBarbies line the walls at the House of BarbieThe House of Barbie spa offers such treatments as the Plastic Smooth facial or the Barbie Bust Firming treatment