An all-white affair

Now into its fourth edition, the Shanghai version of Diner en Blanc continues to be a hit among people of all ages

White Dew, the 15th solar term of the year according to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, begins on Sept 8 this year and ends on Sept 23. This term is often used by farmers to indicate the beginning of autumn when temperatures drop and when air vapor condenses to form white dew during the night.

Quite aptly, this year's Diner en Blanc — it is French for "dinner in white" — in Shanghai took place on Sept 8 as well. Held in one of the city's oldest dockyards that was renovated by the acclaimed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the event featured hundreds of people dressed in white who indulged in fine foods like champagne and foie gras.

Established in 1988 in Paris, Diner en Blanc has grown from a humble private gathering initiated by a Parisian to a global event attended by tens of thousands of people in 80 cities from 35 countries.

The event, which aims to celebrate the French "art of living and savoir-faire" through the nation's most popular activity of picnicking, is always held at an iconic landmark, such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame in Paris, and the Opera House in Sydney. The location is always kept secret till the very last minute.

The number of attendees for the Shanghai edition vary between 600 to 1,500 each year, depending on the location. Tickets to the four-hour event, which also features live performances and an after party at the club Bar Rouge, are available in three tiers: 380 yuan ($55), 680 yuan and 1,990 yuan. Those holding the 380 yuan ticket are expected to bring their own tables, chairs, tableware and food. Those with the mid-tier ticket only need to prepare their own food, while those with the most expensive option simply need to show up in white — the culinary team from Mandarin Oriental Shanghai, Pudong would prepare picnic boxes for them.

The Shanghai event, which is now into its fourth year, is spearheaded by Aymeric Pasquier, one of the founder's sons, and three of his local friends from the city. This year, upwards of 600 people signed up for the communal meal, with more than half identifying themselves as a local in their registration information, according to the organizer.

The event's spokeswomen Chantal Blanchard said that the beauty of the banquet is its ability to foster a physical connection between people, something that has become a luxury in today's technology-driven world.

"Diner en Blanc is meant to gather people from different age groups, backgrounds and ethnicities — it is especially true in places like New York, Montreal, and London…but in cities like Shanghai, we find that the demographic is much younger," said Blanchard.

Among the younger attendees was Jin Mingxiu, a 19-year-old student from an international school in Shanghai. Jin said that her mother, who runs a jewelry shop on the Bund, bought two 1,990-yuan tickets in hope of meeting more people. While the mother did not attend the event because of unforeseen circumstances, Jin turned up to the party in a Lolita-style outfit and a white Channel 2.55 filled with her mother's business cards. She later won the Best Dressed Award.

Jin, however, was not impressed with the event.

"I haven't heard about it before. I thought it was just another costume party, but it turned out people are dressed in rather boring clothes," she said.

Wang Yu, a 45-year-old mother of two teenage boys, on the other hand, enjoyed herself thoroughly. Having traveled by train for seven hours from Zhengzhou, Henan province, Wang was among the 70 or so women who signed up for the party as the members of HerRose Club, an exclusive club for female entrepreneurs.

"This is my second year here. I met so many great women here last year that I didn't hesitate at all when the invitation arrived again this year," said Wang, who runs a spa chain and an etiquette school in Zhengzhou.

"I can easily become a frog in the well with what I am doing in Zhengzhou. Being a part of such an event and getting to know the people here prevents that from happening," she added.

Wang Jing, the host of the local event, revealed that the local elements infused into the event usually don't come from the young generation.

"This year, we are seeing more than one group of middle-aged Shanghai aunties bringing their homemade marinated pigs' offals and kaofu, a local dish made from wheat gluten that few young people know how to cook," said Wang, a former event planner and a Shanghai native.

Wo Leliu, a 72-year-old grandmother who attended the event with her son and daughter, brought pickled duck necks, grapes and desserts. The retired pediatrician wore a cutout T-shirt dress with lace embroidery and a cream fascinator with feather details that she said her daughter specially bought for her from the online marketplace Taobao.

Like most other guests, Wo was eager to share the moment with her friends on WeChat. Her photos of the event, which were accompanied with the caption "dining in French style with a dress bought from Provence", received 150 likes.

But to Wo, Diner en Blanc is not about being seen in fancy clothes or getting to network with others.

"It's very like chengliang," she quipped, referring to the popular activity of playing cards or chatting with neighbors outdoors during the summer nights in a bid to stay cool.

Contact the writer at xujunqian@chinadaily.com.cn