He Was a Skater Boy: Detonate Opens in Jiaodaokou

He’s an animation director, she a game designer. Together they mourned the absence of American streetwear shops around town. Luke, who hails from the UK, complains that most of the existing options only change their stock on a seasonal basis – and, more importantly, the prices are marked up way beyond what he could afford.

Enter Detonate, he and Ivanka’s new store seeking to fill this gap in Beijing’s retail scene. Originally intended to be a skate store, the clothing and accessories still pay homage to the skater lifestyle. Most of the clothing is imported from the US, wearing labels rarely seen in Beijing such as Supreme, Mishka, Crooks and Castles, 10.Deep and Analog. Most of the high-quality cotton T-shirts are just RMB 299, while limited-edition styles go up to around RMB 1,200.

For women, there’s Wildfox and Rebel Yell, brands known for their grungy, sexy cuts. The racks are filled with faded athletic tees that have been cropped or splashed with acid-style text, all in the range of RMB 300-400.

With the exception of Supreme, all the US brands are bought wholesale and sold for much cheaper rates than you’ll find anywhere else – often even cheaper than in the US, as they tweak their prices to suit the whims of the Chinese market.

Besides apparel, there are also designer collector toys, from Polly Pocket earrings to Kid Robot toys (RMB 70-1,200). The shop is playful at heart, relying on an old-school neon sign to draw in customers and bright blue walls to keep them cheerful. Eventually, Detonate hopes to become a sort of community.

“We want to be the kind of store that people visit every week,” Luke told me with enthusiasm. “We are constantly ordering new things.” Look out for regular events like film screenings and collaborations with local artists in the future.

Also try: Decide, The Thing

Detonate
Daily 11am-11pm. 29-1 Jiaodaokou Nandajie, Dongcheng District (186 1155 7611)
东城区交道口南大街29-1

Photos: Mitchell Masilun and courtesy of Detonate