(smartshanghai.com)
Updated: 2006-10-25 09:35

Vacant is more than just my conversational style on a Monday morning before a coffee, you know. It's also a transient Guerrilla store for the so-cool-they're-approaching-absolute-zero crowd. Think throwing together hot brands and emerging designers and then selling them for one-month-only hit and runs across the globe from Tokyo to Berlin to London for the last six years.

One month only, exclusive designs and eclectic merchandise. The sort of stuff that makes architects, creative directors and photographers look cool and me and my pearls look like Camilla Parker Bowles.

Yeah, whatever, I hear you mutter into your dan dan mian. That sounds like cult clothing, and we can't get cult clothing in Shanghai and anyway, what's Caroline doing writing about fashion? Like she knows anything about that...Ah ha! Because that's where you're wrong. Give me a crazy crowd of 500 uber-funky trendsetters, the Mini XXL, a few bottles of Mumm, a Mini F1 race, Tong Chen Jie, Shanghai's media elite (ha! How did I get in on that one?) Chen Yi Chuan, the rather tasty Nic Li (you know, the cute one from VH1) throw them together in the middle ofHuai Hai lu on a Sunday (Oct 22nd)and voila! Shanghai has been Vacated! Not hot enough to have caught the one day Guerrilla event? Didn't grab your custom painted trainers and distressed demins as the Mini made it's way around the streets of Shanghai?

Have no fear, because Vacant will be available from the25th November at 158 Xinle luin it's first ever permanent concept store. I'll be there with bells on. No. Sorry. Stripes. Stripes are hot this season.