Marie Claire awards in Shanghai

"Marie Claire", generally the fifth or sixth most popular fashion magazine in each region in which it publishes, had a bash in Shanghai a few days ago. It was an awards ceremony, giving meaningless awards to people who probably didn't know they were in line for one until their agents called to tell them they were working that evening.

The red carpet/photo-op was pretty interesting though, with several of our favorites looking great, none more so than Gao Yuan-Yuan in a Stella McCartney gorgeous green silhouette dress with mesh panels:

Coco Lee vamped it up in a dress with a (very) asymmetrical neckline and split skirt:

Coco had a backstage wardrobe malfunction attended to by an extremely alert seamstress using huge clothing clips while getting her nose powdered:

Li Xiaolu (Lu Lu) brought her cheekbones:

But somehow missed being included in the Celebrity side boob continuing feature in the Huffington Post:

Tiffany Tang was lovely in frou-frou chiffon while Yang Mi had a slightly edgier look in black leather:

Neither looked thrilled to be there in this shot:

Ni Ni dazzled with her million yuan smile:

And was so well coordinated that the trim on her handbag matched her lipstick--strange but true:

A good time was had by some. Sina; Eiffel in Seoul; Huffington Post

A lip lock for Yang Mi and Amber Kuo in upcoming "Tiny Times"?

Not very likely although the posters just released hint at Sapphic content. Tiny Times is based on the novel by the same name by Guo Jingming that chronicles the life of four college best friends that are trying to find professional validation and romantic connection in a modern Chinese metropolis. Guo directs--filming began last week in Beijing.

Here are the provocative (and probably misleading) posters:

Sina;China Daily

Yang Mi goes on her honeymoon in "Holding Love". She brandishes a spear and winds up in chains.

Yang Mi and Hawick Lau, her real life main squeeze, star in a romantic comedy with bondage and fierce indigenous warriors. They play a couple on their honeymoon, having married shortly after meeting for the first time and gotten some really bad travel advice.

From stills released in advance of the August 23 mainland premiere it looks like there will be enough chains, cuffs, ropes and gags for all but the most committed fetishists.

Xinhua; Chinese Films

Painted Skin 2 press conference plus incidental sightings at Cannes

The Painted Skin 2 publicity Juggernaut clanked onward at Cannes although without Vicki Zhao Wei.Director Wuershan led a contingent with Zhou Xun, Yang Mi and Chen Tingjia.

Then the three actresses stood around on the beachfront for the photographers. Zhou Xun is rumored to be ill and just soldiering on in support of Painted Skin 2.

Earlier Zhuo Xun had a well publicized but from the looks of things not particularly enjoyable night on the town.

Chinese stars are used to traveling without an entourage but she looks almost abandoned here in the middle of the street.

Yang Mi caused a bit of controversy back home when, according to Xinhua, she hogged the limelight on the red carpet for the premiere of "Rust and Bone", had to be told (three time!) by security to step away and responded with what was termed in the googlespeak translation a "vertical finger counter-attack". Xinhua thought the offending digit needed highlighting.

Yang Mi shrugged it off (if anything happened at all) and spent some quality time being photographed with Liu Kaiwei walking hand and hand around the harborfront.

Sina; Xinhua; Xinhua

Yang Mi and Hao Lei, Cannes red carpet for "Rust and Bone"

Hao Lei in town to promote Mystery dropped in at the premiere of Rust and Bone to be photographed with Yang Mi.

Yang Mi

Someone doesn't seem all that happy to be in on the sun kissed shores of the Mediterranean in mid-May.

With eyes like that she can be as grumpy as she wants to be.

Hao Lei

Looks like small wings on the back of Hao Lei's dress. It is garish enough without reminding everyone of overpriced, mass produced lingerie.

Yang Mi would rather be anywhere other than Cannes at that moment.

Yahoo China

31st Hong Kong Film Awards red carpet--part 1

Everybody who was anybody was at the Hong Kong Cultural Center on Sunday looking good on the red carpet and giving each other statuettes. Unlike last year the torrential rains stayed away and a good time seemed to be had by most.

There was an unfortunate shortage of really awful gowns on display--no recycled prom bombs, nothing that looked like it had been stitched together from Aunt Zhu's living room drapes, no giant Glad bags. There were enough sequins, spangles and rhinestones to choke a brontosaurus and plenty of long skirts with long slits. Some of the men looked dressed for a night of bowling or a day at the track which is customary at gala events in Hong Kong.

The entertainment press ran as many images of Shu Qi than of any other five actress together. With no Bingbings to concentrate upon she was the default for glamor. Here she is with Anthony Wong. Her dress goes overboard with visible panty lines--looks like it needed an opaque lining:

Anthony Wong either offering his arm or showing off his manicure:

Backstage, both of them looking as if they had lost a bet and as a result had to wear ridiculous shoes to the big event:

Yang Mi, with Shawn Yue on her arm, led with her strength--her dynamite figure in a tight but not too tight white dress with dangly diamond earrings and a diamond bracelet. The jewelry could have been made from pop-top pulls, the sparkly bits overwhelmed by the simplicity of a beautiful woman in a perfect dress:

Coco Chaing Yi looked like the survivor of an explosion in a chiffon factory and vamped it up on the red carpet:

Cissy Wang and Donnie Yen looked perfect which is customary for them:

Donnie knows how to make an entrance to the birthday party of a fashionista (guess who) carrying a big Chanel shopping bag:

Sina; Xinhua; Go to Yahoo China if you really want to wallow in red carpet pics.

More to come.

Yang Mi promotes "Love in the Buff"

Yang Mi sported a buttoned up trench coat, skinny jeans and well-worn Louboutin pumps while Edmund Pang Ho went with the always appropriate "got dressed in the dark" look while hyping "Love in the Buff" in Beijing. Xinhua ran a couple of dozen pictures; here are three of them:

Xinhua