On a wave of nostalgia

For many of us the newer something is, the better it is and the more sophisticated we think it makes us look. But there is another approach to clothing and personal appearance

They are the people for whom the word old means quaint rather than decrepit, and for whom dated stuff is not just desirable, but cool as well. Hence the Chinese version of a sign saying "Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe" painted on an otherwise unremarkable door hidden at the end of a dark alley will have them making a beeline to see what's inside.

These are the aficionados in China of vintage clothing, part of a wider culture that celebrates the trappings of the past.