Fashion Icon Sam: "Beijing Has a Laid-Back Attitude on Fashion"

Recently, I had the honor and pleasure to interview a fellow fashion lover, and overall great guy, Sam, also known as Guo Shusen. This interview was amazing and so full of energy, often times Sam’s vivid descriptions made me feel like I was right there in the midst of some of his favorite fashion memories, and his hopes and dreams about the Beijing fashion scene gave me confidence in its growth on an international level.

I met Sam last year at the 2020 Beijing Fashion Week after watching him and a few other experts talk about the Beijing fashion scene during a live interview at one of the Expo Events. Seeing these four on stage, you could right away tell that they were involved in the scene by their brilliant, bold attire, mix of colors, and stylish looks. And though most of the live interview was in Mandarin, Sam and his fellow fashionistas also speak impeccable English – and after getting to know him further, I found out that he speaks French as well. The more that I get to know Sam, the more amazed I am by his life, accomplishments, and additional goals for the Beijing fashion and art scene. Even though I consider him a friend, getting to interview him and know even more about him was an amazing surprise as I learned all about the awesome things he has done, seen, and been involved in, in Beijing, in China, and all over the world.

Sam owns a fashion PR and buying agency that helps help fashion brands with publicity, orders, and often many other details as well. Originally from Henan province, he moved to Beijing with his family as a child and later went to France to study. He's been in the fashion industry ever since.

How was your time working and studying in France?
It was forever memorable, and I was involved in so many amazing projects and had so many memorable moments. I must say that studying in France was the key to learning many of the secrets to success in the fashion industry.

What is your most memorable fashion moment in France?
My most memorable fashion moment in France was going to a fashion show for the Brand Guy Laroche. After the show, we went to a small Japanese restaurant with a designer and PR director of the brand, and after that, we went to Palaise de Tokyo, a discotheque, or nightclub as most people say in English. There were a lot of different performances, and all the people were so cool and fashionable. Everyone was there to have fun and enjoy life, to be around people who are full of love, and to just be happy together.  The music was so amazing and loud, everyone there was dancing. There was no socializing, no talking, no communication, no drama, just dancing and eye contact. It was so memorable.

Where in France were you most often, and how do you compare the difference between France (and especially the city you were in) versus here in Beijing?
I did my studies in the South of France, close to Nice, Monaco, and Cannes; but I did my internships in Paris.  Both Paris and Beijing are historic cities with rich cultures, but the difference is, that in Paris people care more about fashion and styling. People there are often into a very "effortless chic" style. In Beijing people are more chill, and kind of have a more laid-back attitude towards fashion.

Tell me more about your opinion of the fashion scene in Beijing
The fashion scene here in Beijing has endless different variety, influences, and genres, and you can often see a mix of everything. In just one room you might see different people with different influences, some with a very hardcore rock and roll inspired style, others might have a heavily influenced hip-hop street style, and even some very elegant and restrained looks; often due to a more conservative preference, or sometimes because of the media and political environment.

And what about your most memorable fashion moment in Beijing?
My most memorable fashion moment in Beijing was when Parkview Green Shopping Mall had its 10-year anniversary, this was the best night of my life here in Beijing! There was so much amazing entertainment going on; the models, the runway, a magician, and also the big party. I met so many new friends here in Beijing, especially the CEO of Marie Claire Magazine. She is such a great lady from France, and we are still great friends now. By far that was the best fashion moment I've ever had in Beijing. In some ways it even reminded me of Paris, meeting new friends in the fashion industry, everybody was so happy, the people were all so chill, enjoying art and fashion, it was a super open-minded situation, to the extent that it was very rare for China. I still feel very happy even when I talk about it.

Now I want to hear a bit about who your favorite designers are
Karl Lagerfeld, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Stefano Pilati, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Raf Simons, Phoebe Philo… there are so many talented designers that I admire! Also, I am very inspired by the BOF (Business of Fashion) founder, Imran Amed! I love what this guy is doing!

That is awesome. Do you have one all-time favorite designer?
My favorite designer of all time is Stefano Pilati. He is an Italian designer, now based in Berlin. He is the former creative director of Yves Saint Laurent, and now he is with his own brand, Random Identities. I love his style in menswear, the casually elegant vibe, and his personal aesthetic. I own a few pairs of his shoes, accessories, and some shirts from him, and I often want to wear them every day. I feel like they give me power.

And what about your favorite Chinese fashion designer?
My favorite Chinese designer is Uma Wang. She is amazing. She is so calm and has been really focused on style for so many years. She insists on quality in all of her work, and all of her designs for the brand. She is also so passionate, patient, and does not want to take any shortcuts in her products, which are all so full of energy, but in a very subtle way. Everything she makes is also very good quality, and I just love her so much.

What about your thoughts about Beijing Fashion Week?
Beijing Fashion Week is very young, it's new and very energetic. In my opinion, it is really focusing on folk art, emerging designers, local designers, and also international designers. It also really focuses on the heritage of China, which is super good, because in the fashion scene there should be a platform giving a voice to a variety of designers, and especially giving attention to the designers who are focusing on local heritage, Chinese heritage, and really allowing them to explore it and continue to make it into something cool and something more contemporary.

I have participated with Beijing Fashion Week from the very beginning, bringing designers for their trade shows, with bringing pop-up shops, and also bringing in some fashion forums. I hope I can work with Beijing fashion week more, and I hope we can bring even more designers to Beijing fashion week. 

Beijing Fashion Week 2021 is still in the planning stage. Keep an eye on bjfashionweek.cn for upcoming details.

You can find Sam on Instagram at sam_shusenguo

READ: Dominic De Couto on The Business Of Creating Fun Adventures In Beijing

Images courtesy of Sam Guo Shusen