Quoted: From the Mouths of Fashionistas
Excerpted by Latoya Peterson
This recipe for femininity looks, to me, as if it is aimed toward a stereotypical Hong Kong billionaire’s wife. The clothes evoke a demure, under-control, decidedly non-rowdy (read: non-Western) type of woman who appreciates her role as an ornament of great value, and sits prettily and quietly in Gulfstream jets.
—Cintra Wilson, “Critical Shopper: Derek Lam,” The New York Times
(Thanks to Rob Schmidt for sending this in!)
(Image credit: NYT)
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
prvlgd cdn wrote:
I think the writer means someone like this:
http://www.hellotaitai.com/
The Tai Tai stereotype may be under control and non-rowdy, sure, compared to their counterparts in Manhattan and Miami, at least. But “ornament of great value, and sits prettily and quietly”? Wherever would that idea come from?
Posted 25 May 2009 at 8:26 am ¶
Thea Lim wrote:
I think Wilson has their stereotypes wrong. The racial stereotype that accompanies Tai Tais in Singapore where I grew up, is that they are loud, tacky and brash. Also not a good or useful racial stereotype – but please, if you’re going to employ racist caricatures to sell a product, at least do a little research to make sure you are using the right one, yeah?
(end snark)
Posted 25 May 2009 at 10:41 am ¶
JC wrote:
I don’t think she knows much about HK Billionaire wives… she’s thinking about the Stafford Wives, but in exotic HK. Just another extension of the erroneous stereotypes whites constantly create for foreigners. Just take one part blonde trophy wife and mixed it with 3 parts docile Asian female, and you get the new stereotype she just pulled out of her behind.
The HK rich wives are not some jewels – they are often the one in real power. They often take over their husband’s empires and run it themselves, and most of them are very public and sometimes vocal figures. But as a fashion reporter based in NY, I seriously doubt she knows anything about the HK. I doubt she knows anything about Nina Wang, the legendary “Richest woman in Asia” who passed away in 2007. Read her story and tell me if she’s a just an “ornament of great value”. This is the woman who took over her husband’s pharmaceutical empire when he was kidnapped and made it MORE successful. Not to mention her fondness for homely dress and twin pony tails (she was nicknamed “Little Sweetie” for her childish looks).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina_Wang
Posted 25 May 2009 at 4:33 pm ¶
Clara wrote:
Yeahhhhh as someone with parents from Hong Kong and lots of family still living there, let me say that HK wives are DEFINITELY not demure and do NOT sit quietly or prettily. If anything, they are not afraid to talk back to their husbands.
(My parents aren’t rich, but we do have very wealthy relatives that do NOT fit Wilson’s description.)
Posted 25 May 2009 at 5:16 pm ¶
Ping wrote:
Elitist fashion talk even if he says its just the stereotype. Puts down others to sound superior.
Posted 25 May 2009 at 7:11 pm ¶
kate wrote:
stereotypically for who? the above comments point out that she has her stereotypes wrong but this chick doesn’t seem to be writing for a Hong Kong audience. Seems to me she has down pat what westerners who -don’t- know anything about Hong Kong or tai tais would IMAGINE a stereotypical Hong Kong billionaire’s wife to be like.
JC’s (#3) got it right – “I don’t think she knows much about HK Billionaire wives… she’s thinking about the Stafford Wives, but in exotic HK. Just another extension of the erroneous stereotypes whites constantly create for foreigners.”
Posted 25 May 2009 at 8:02 pm ¶
Angie wrote:
What Cintra Wilson had written was simply an example of poor fashion writing- I hesitate to even call her unresearched tidbit about Asian women journalism. I’d be curious to know if Cintra has ever been to Hong Kong, and if so, if she is even minorly acquainted with any billionaire’s wife. If so, she would know that HK billionaires’ wives have a reputation (or hold a stereotype) for throwing tantrums, being demanding, and being anything but quiet. And some of them, being daughters of billionaires themselves, know they don’t need to hide behind their husbands as “ornaments.”
Put away “Memoirs of a Geisha” Cin, and do your homework next time.
Posted 25 May 2009 at 10:29 pm ¶
Dan wrote:
Sad thing is, if you guys/gals didn’t chomp down so hard and fast on this, I would have partially believed it. The wording would have sent red flags flying, but I wouldn’t know 100% if it was all BS since I don’t know squat about Hong Kong. Guess that’s how our perceptions can get shaped so easily.
Posted 26 May 2009 at 5:14 am ¶
JustAnotherAsianGuy wrote:
The funny thing is, if you watch a lot of HK movies, the ladies in it are almost always portrayed as demure, sit pretty, and always need to be saved.
Posted 26 May 2009 at 3:15 pm ¶
Asada wrote:
@ 3. JC
Does anyone know if Nina Wang inreased the profitablity of the company in an ethical means and if the company is still around for investing?
Posted 26 May 2009 at 6:20 pm ¶
Steven wrote:
I agree with the above posts. The stereotype of a Hong Kong tai tai is anything but demure and ornamental. But I think the larger issue is with fashion writing, which is all too often misinformed, under-researched, and impressionistic.
Posted 05 Jun 2009 at 12:51 pm ¶