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Libertine
Newbie
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 6
Status: Offline
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  Posted:
May 12, 2004 - 10:38 AM |
 
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| Post subject: Thinking of design school in Shanghai! |
I'm 17, live in the boring/kitschy suburbs of America and will be graduating from high school next year. So here's my preoccupation: There is a design school in Shanghai called La Salle, and I'm flirting with the idea of studying fashion design there for a year or two. Though I am a fluent speaker and Chinese by heritage, culturally, I am a foreigner. My #1 worry would be meeting interesting foreigners, art people like me who like old French films and read weird fashion magazines. Please offer some reassurance that I won't be alone for two years with no friends! I'd like be able to meet exciting, artistic expats if I do come to Shanghai. |
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cakelab
Squeeker
Joined: May 10, 2004
Posts: 12
Status: Offline
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May 16, 2004 - 04:48 AM |
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Libertine,
I think it's really cool that you are thinking about studying at La Salle in Shanghai. Dare I say you might be ahead of your time? I say this as someone who also grew up in a boring American suburb. When I was "your age" I moved to New York City and studied fashion at Parson's. Afterward, I went to work on 7th Ave and later started my own line. I only left NY
last year to costume a film in LA.
My friends and I have been talking a lot about the future of the fashion industry in China. Without a doubt, if it isn't already, Shanghai will soon be considered the fashion capitol there.
I have a few friends who have visited there recently and they all say wonderful things about
Shanghia's creativity and it's emerging art scene. As for foreigners, I hear the place is flooded with people from all over the world, so I think you would meet lots of interesting people.
I guess I would ask myself, where I saw myself wanting to live/work after school. One of the best things about attending a good design school is the assistance they can offer with job placement upon graduation. Therefore, if you were to study at Lasalle I'd say there is a good chance your first job would be somewhere in China. Same goes true if you were to choose New York. You'd likely get placed in New York.
As far as your would be classmates go if you were to go with Lasalle... I'm told students come from Hong Kong, Tokyo, Astralia,Malaysia, throughout China and Europe. Why do I know so much about this school you ask? Well, I'm heading to Shanghai myself next month to teach there.
Good Luck! |
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enzo
Lurker
Joined: Feb 19, 2004
Posts: 33
Status: Offline
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May 17, 2004 - 10:12 PM |
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Wow, I envy you guys.
I'm stuck here in Taiwan with an excruciatingly dull job which fortunately/unfortunately pays very handsomely.
Fortunately, because it helps me bear the boredom, unfortunately because it keeps me from doing more exciting things with my life.
I've been dreaming about doing something with fashion on the Internet, preferably in Shanghai, because that's the number one fashion and style center in the most populous nation on earth. And now with all the international media going overboard about Armani opening his store in Shanghai, it sounds even more exciting.
But my complete lack of knowledge about Shanghai is making me think about first trying it out here in Taipei.
I'm just worried that if I stay here, I'll miss out on all the wonderful and exciting stuff that's happening in Shanghai ... and make my move too late.
Anyway, knowing that there's an international design school like La Salle in Shanghai is just another element to encourage me to go over and take a look at the place. |
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okido
Rocker
Joined: Sep 14, 2003
Posts: 667
Location: A planet called Earth
Status: Offline
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May 18, 2004 - 03:29 AM |
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Libertine - A friend's daughter, 18 yo, is now studying at La Salle Shanghai. She is from Singapore. She said that most of her classmates are locals from around China and some are from other countries like her. Don't worry about meeting interesting people. Even if all the students and teachers there seem too normal to you, you can still find interesting people to hang around with outside the campus. But I guess you would probably find yourself have no time to hang out. My friend's daughter often study and work around the clock to finish projects.
cakelab - shall I pre-announce your coming to my friend's daughter? Tell me a bit more about you, please. She will think I am psychic. That will be fun.  |
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Monk
Raver
Joined: May 03, 2004
Posts: 440
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
May 18, 2004 - 09:35 AM |
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| cakelab wrote: |
I have a few friends who have visited there recently and they all say wonderful things about
Shanghia's creativity and it's emerging art scene. As for foreigners, I hear the place is flooded with people from all over the world, so I think you would meet lots of interesting people.
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OK, I'm usually on the pro-Shanghai side, but I feel these two statements need to be put in context or they'll be misleading.
1) Yes, Shanghai has some creativity, and its art scene is taking off. But it's still very rough around the edges compared to New York or Paris. The art here tends to fall into three categories:
- Traditional Chinese painting
- Traditional Western (oil) painting
- Contemporary (modern) art
For the first, the stuff looks pretty cool to our untrained Western eyes, but, as one Chinese critic put it, "everyone accepts that today's masters cannot compare to those of past eras". For the second, the technique tends to be pretty good, but overall I'd say they're just not interesting (I went to the Art Museum and walked by about 100 oil paintings without seeing one that caught my eye). For the third, there are some artists who have managed to establish themselves in the international scene, but this is mostly by leaving China for the West. When I go to the galleries here, I'd have to say that 75% of what I see is at about an American undergraduate level and would never make it into a Western gallery.
On the bright side, Chinese installation artists are really excellent, some of the best in the world. And as I said before, things *are* improving. In 20 years, Shanghai will quite possibly be a world hotspot for art, but right now it's built its reputation on potential and hype. But actually, that's just like everything in this city, which is what makes it such a frontier town, and which is why I love it.
2) I wouldn't say it's "flooded with people from all over the world". There is an expat community here, yes, but it's maybe 50,000 in a city of 16 million (by the way, does anyone have an accurate statistic on the expat population in SH?). They tend to be concentrated in pockets and mostly separate from the locals. They also tend to self-segregate into subgroups -- students, businesspeople, families, etc. -- just like a Western country, of course, but my point is that it decreases the apparent number that you would interact with.
The bigger problem is that people come and go so often that it's hard to form lasting bonds. However, in a 4-year program, you wouldn't have that problem as much as most do.
Overall, considering points 1) and 2) above, I'm trying to provide some rationality against the hype... otherwise, you'll arrive and feel very let down. It IS a great place, if you appreciate it for what it is and don't expect it t be more. |
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Adam7
Rocker
Joined: May 11, 2004
Posts: 759
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May 18, 2004 - 10:58 AM |
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I've met a few of the fashion design students at Lasalle, there are plenty of cool people there. Western teachers as well, though they are less 'cool'.
The arts scene in Shanghai is very new. Look at it as a chance to get in on the ground floor - a chance you will very rarely get in life!
Go for it! Shanghai is a great place when your young and have energy - or older and a bit tired like me. Just a great place!
Take Monks points as well, living here is still not all that easy, but 10 years ago when I was a poor, young western student here with little Chinese I had the best year of my life. And I'm still loving it! |
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Why? Just tell me why? |
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cakelab
Squeeker
Joined: May 10, 2004
Posts: 12
Status: Offline
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May 18, 2004 - 12:32 PM |
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just to clarify my points and avoid a pending lynching...normally
i would say to an american girl interested in studying fashion- "go to new york and study at parsons. if you can't afford tuition there go to FIT"
maybe i've been brainwashed by my friends and/or i'm just trying to psyche MYSELF into the potential of shanghai as an international fashion capital....
i just know here in the states i read articles on china's economic expansion just about every day in the ny times. as for the "art scene"
won't be able to give an accurate opinion til i get there, so far i'm going off the impressions of friends...
friend #1: ny trust funder who's film just debuted at canne
friend #2: very cool flash animation designer from ny who's been to shanghai twice in the past year
friend #3: friend of a friend who is from denmark and designs her line
out of shanghai cause production and materials are so cheap
i think "adam7" got it right: think of it as a ground floor opportunity
i'll say it again- i would think about where i saw myself wanting to work
straight out of school (china, the states, europe). think about what designers you admire most, what markets you feel you understand
and put your energy into following that path where ever it takes you.
yikes. now i'm all scared to go. nah, that's not true i believe in adventure
and i'll try not to have any expectations. btw- it's really annoying here in
LA- everytime i mention i'm off to shanghai someone has to say, "hey isn't that the paris of the east" and i'm like what is that supposed to mean. |
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Monk
Raver
Joined: May 03, 2004
Posts: 440
Status: Offline
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May 18, 2004 - 04:02 PM |
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Hey, I didn't mean to skewer you Cakelab. Actually I'm here for all the same reasons you and the others have said -- to get in on the ground floor and be part of a place that's really taking off. I just want to present the other side -- you know, the gritty realities that we all face day-to-day. Better to come in with a balanced view than to have high expectations and see them get knocked down. |
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Libertine
Newbie
Joined: May 12, 2004
Posts: 6
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
May 18, 2004 - 07:39 PM |
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Thanks for your help everyone! I really appreciate all the feedback here on the post.
Adam7, could you tell me more about the students and teachers at La Salle? |
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marcus_guan
Talker
Joined: Aug 11, 2003
Posts: 83
Location: shanghai
Status: Offline
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May 18, 2004 - 09:39 PM |
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mostly student there are chinesse mainland, then taiwanesse, indonesian chinesse, some hongkees and so many, (not really clearly) but i guess u will be like there, coz lasalle is in the central of the shanghai city hehehehe |
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mathlete
Lurker
Joined: May 18, 2004
Posts: 38
Status: Offline
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May 18, 2004 - 10:08 PM |
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Libertine: Looks like cakelab will be one of your teachers.
cakelab: thanks for the reply to my PM. Guess what? A company should be sending me an offer this week!! |
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gabyu
Seeker
Joined: Apr 11, 2004
Posts: 44
Location: shanghai
Status: Offline
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May 19, 2004 - 08:44 PM |
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Do you know where i can get a list of different design and fashion school ? there is so many school, but none had made a nice directory. if u know any publisher who could do such things, i am interrested, thanks.
lin jia bao |
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••• gabyu is online, |
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okido
Rocker
Joined: Sep 14, 2003
Posts: 667
Location: A planet called Earth
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
May 20, 2004 - 01:34 AM |
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lin jia bao - I think you have to be more specific with the "design" part. What kind of design schools you are talking about? Fashion design? Visual art design? They are of different "schools" of schools. (pardon me for playing a bit with the words.)
Okido |
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jensen
Lurker
Joined: July 04, 2003
Posts: 37
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May 20, 2004 - 09:53 AM |
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A little more insight on LaSalle, from what I have seen the fashion design department IMO is probably the best program as the students seem to have more passion for their actual studies. In the graghic & interior design programs I do not think the students are as keen in general about their chosen subject.
Their are both some great instructors & students there but like anywhere there are poor ones too. The biggest problem at LaSalle is the relative expense & overall value of the programs as the sales recruiters do not properly evaluate the student's English language skills. Many students cannot understand or converse in English well and that is the language employed for the entire curriculum.
I would hardly consider Donghua U. to be in the center of town and the classrooms / building are rather gloomy.
lol |
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okido
Rocker
Joined: Sep 14, 2003
Posts: 667
Location: A planet called Earth
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| Posted:
May 20, 2004 - 09:46 PM |
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Agree with Jenson on the language part. The one and only complaint my friend's daughter has is about the un-even English ability among the students. They have TAs in all classes to help those students who can not communicate with the teachers in English. Which means, those who understand English will have to wait. Students from all places seem to get along pretty well but the waiting is frustrating.
Jensen - Let's say inside the inner-ring road is downtown area of Shanghai then the school is right by the inner-ring road. So, technically, it's downtown. Don't be so picky, jensen, as Shanghai is developing it's suburbs, soon Hong Qiao area will be considered downtown. |
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jensen
Lurker
Joined: July 04, 2003
Posts: 37
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| Posted:
May 20, 2004 - 10:52 PM |
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point taken okido but which side of the outer ring road is the school located  ? |
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okido
Rocker
Joined: Sep 14, 2003
Posts: 667
Location: A planet called Earth
Status: Offline
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May 20, 2004 - 11:03 PM |
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jensen - it's INNER ring road. The outer ring road is the one connected to the Hong Qiao airport. The school is at the east side of the inner-ring. so, it's inside the ring and so it should be considered downtown. (but, actually who cares if it is or not.) the school is on Xin Hua Road near Zhong Shan West road (although the main gate of Dong Hua Univ. is on Zhong Shan W. Road.) there is a print shop at the junction of the two roads. I actually go by the school for work everyday. |
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jensen
Lurker
Joined: July 04, 2003
Posts: 37
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May 21, 2004 - 06:42 AM |
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that's cool okido it just hardly seemed in the center of town when I traveled from near the old post office to the campus at 7 in the morning. |
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chichi
Newbie
Joined: Aug 03, 2004
Posts: 6
Status: Offline
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Aug 03, 2004 - 12:41 PM |
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Hi everyone,
I'm enjoying reading this - I just moved here a few months ago, and found that this IS a city of hope and potential.
I am actually looking into applying for Lasalle's October enrollment, for Interior Design. Do any of you know or have any advice about that department of Lasalle?
I will probably move back to NYC to live permanently, so I want to ask cakelab if you think that will hurt my career in the long run, not to go to US school? How long would you advice someone to work in Shanghai before trying to jump back to the US (building a portfolio, etc.)?
Does anyone have any more advice about the school in general? The comments jensen and okido lent regarding the english translating that takes place during classes is very helpful.
Thanks so much!! |
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NCD22
Reacher
Joined: Sep 18, 2003
Posts: 209
Location: Shanghai, PRC
Status: Offline
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Aug 03, 2004 - 02:09 PM |
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In keeping with this thread, do you all know if La Salle offers night classes or continuing ed programs? Specifically in clothing design/marketing...
Thanks! |
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 ››NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE REAL THING‹‹ |
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chichi
Newbie
Joined: Aug 03, 2004
Posts: 6
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Aug 04, 2004 - 11:43 AM |
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no they don't, unfortunately! maybe they will in the future. i also asked since i didn't want to quit my job, but the school only offers a full time program during the day. |
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jankipindo
Lurker
Joined: Aug 09, 2004
Posts: 31
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Aug 10, 2004 - 05:52 PM |
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| Post subject: French Movies |
For the moment I'm teaching architecture in Belgium. From on october I'l be teaching interior design (animation & render techniques) in SH at Lasalle. I'll try to bring my collection European classic movies over.
See you later.
Jan |
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banoi
Lurker
Joined: Aug 18, 2004
Posts: 31
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
Aug 18, 2004 - 11:27 AM |
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hi im also thinking of taking up graphic design/visual communications at lasalle shanghai, is it good there? or are there other schools that are better? what's the best graphic design school in shanghai?? Thanks!  |
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