Catshanghai

Projection216 is now officially open.

Photos kindly provided by Wee Ling Soh of Shanghaiist.

Jenny(my wife) is so quick at getting things done that she had her opening party two weeks before I had the chance to write about it. I am biased, but Projection216 is the coolest place in Shanghai. Jenny is a stylist and fashion designer who has been gracing Shanghai’s fashion and party scene for nearly a decade. She enjoys making funny, colourful and magical clothes, but she wanted to open a lifestyle salon where young, imaginative designers could display their creativity and share ideas.Jenny assembled work from young local designers that she admires.

There is Tyakasha who makes cartoon graphics for notebooks and blank CDs/DVDs.

Perk’s designs follow a similar theme except he is also makes bags and t-shirts.

The Thing produces unsavoury logos for t-shirts, hats and shoes. Two years ago we bought back lots of Thing t-shirts as presents for my friends in England. My favourite was the severed head at the end of a spike.

Tan Xiao Ming is an interior designer. She designed our house and helped Jenny make the interior of Projection216 a reality.

DK makes very cool trainers for men and women.

Mary will paint your nails.

Eva Gao is an architecture student who painted the mural of the clown just outside the front door.

The studio hangs on the idea of film. Jenny planned the interior to look like a surreal fantasy film. The studio is painted black and there are flashes of fluorescent pink and green. There is a touch of schlock horror fetishism as chairs, hands, heads and torsos come out of the walls and ceilings. Everything is zoned off by curtains and the window area is built up into a stage. Look out for the cracked mirrors and hanging CDs.

Jenny installed a big screen projector above a cozy fleece rug where people can sit and watch offbeat movies. We’ve been low key about marketing and the studio is tucked away on the second floor away from the street. Maybe relying on word of mouth is a mistake, but Jenny cares a great deal more about art and lifestyle. Commerce has always been a lower priority. It’s great that she has the freedom to pursue this dream without being too much of a slave to money.

Projection 216 has been open since November, but we only had the opening party in the middle of January. Part of the evening was a fashion show, which was covered by Shanghaiist. The models included the jazz singers Coco and Erica who had so much fun that they are considering pursuing second careers on the catwalk.

I have to wrap up this post to head over to Projection216 to be there in time for a showing of Midnight Cowboy. If you are intrigued then you can find us in Taikang Lu on the second floor of the building where Maui Coffee is.

Here is the address:

Room 216, Building 3, Lane 210, Taikang Road, Shanghai, PRC
泰康 路210弄 3 号楼216 室
Tel: 021-54656616