FASHION WORK ABROAD – REASONS TO CHOOSE BEIJING

Here, at G&M Fashion Career, we encourage professionals to work abroad for the unique experience and valuable career development opportunities it brings. This is why we keep offering job vacancies in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, China, U.K. and in other countries.

On this occasion, we would like to introduce the city of Beijing to you, our dear reader. Being the second largest city in China with 21 million people, it has a lot to offer to professionals from different fields, including the Fashion industry. In order to expose you to the lifestyle and perks of the big city life, we have listed some of the best factors that people living in the city experience.

A blossoming career

Living and working in the capital of the world’s second-largest economy gives you a unique selling point, differentiating you from other job candidates. Making the decision to move to a completely new environment for work takes courage, determination and open-mindedness, all beneficial for you professional growth.

Unique Fashion scenery

“The merging of designer fashion and streetwear is a worldwide phenomenon, but in China the lines between high fashion, fast fashion, niche brands and youth culture are blurring at breakneck speed.” (South China Morning Post). This being said, the Chinese customers truly are in the forefront of Fashion by being trend-aware and willing to experiment with different styles. What’s more, the millennials make up 31 per cent of total China’s population and as they are the biggest consumers, they are also the largest influence on Fashion.

In terms of Fashion jobs, the market is enormous. Many fast fashion retailers, groups, suppliers etc are actively looking for talented professionals to join their subsidiaries managing the incredibly large Chinese market. From Design and Production Departments to Commercial Sales and suppliers of European brands, there is plenty of choice for a career path, whether you prefer fast fashion or luxury fashion.

New contacts

People who go to live in China soon learn that one the most important skills is networking. There is even a certain word for this – guanxi. It is much more than just exchanging business cards, it is a concept in which you create a social circle of influence around yourself. In case your Mandarin is not as impeccable as you would like, there is also a large community of foreign professionals -similarly to London and New York, Beijing attracts experts from all over the world.

Reasonable cost of living

While you might expect that living in China is much cheaper than anywhere else, it really does come down to your demands. If you decide to live in Western areas with living spaces, restaurants and shops that cater to non-Chinese, you will find prices comparable to the ones back home. However, if you are more adventurous and want to immerse yourself in a more local scene, you can find very cheap food (full meal for £0.70 or £1.5) and other options for a reasonably priced lifestyle.

Great public transport 

While the streets in Beijing are known to be often congested with that many cars in the city, however, luckily, the public transport is outstanding. The Beijing subway system is one of the largest in the world, and every year new lines are opened. As a result, it is the best way to get around – it is quick, easy to use and cheap. All the signs are in both English and Chinese and many mobile apps help you out in finding the best route. Moreover, in an effort to be more environmentally-friendly and to cut down air pollution, Beijing has dedicated a lot of parking lots for solely bikes, making it the bicycle capital of the world.

Social life opportunities

In a city large like this, the social scene in Beijing is exceptionally vibrant and has something to offer for everyone. With a mix of old culture and modern opportunities, and so much to do, it will be hard to get bored of the city. For instance, it is very common to go out to eat with large groups of people so there is a very diverse choice of different types of cuisines and locations. What’s more, Cerise from Beijing Abode has written:

“You can find all kinds of things to do in Beijing, from attractions off the beaten path to visit, to gyms and fitness centers to join, to classes in everything from tennis to languages to martial arts to take. There are several Western-style movie theaters in Beijing, complete with popcorn, soda, and Hollywood films, and there are more networking events, chamber of commerce meetings, and economic forums available for you to attend than you can shake a stick at.”

If you started wondering about life in Beijing, let us know and contact us at info@gm-fashioncareer.com and find out about the job opportunities we have for Fashion Creatives! From the series of “Reasons to work in ..” you can also find our articles about working in London, Switzerland and Spain.