Yetang: The New Online Shop Giving Customers the Cool Factor

The red and blue wrapped hard candy that is the logo for Natasia Guo’s latest online shop, Yetang.com, is misleading when taken out of context. It’s not until you realize that Yetang translates to “wild candy” or you see the rather provocative shots on their Instagram that you discover Guo’s shop mission is miles away from being sweet and innocent: “We want to teach Chinese kids how to party.”

Yetang’s “Nobody f***ing with me” temporary tattoos by brands Smokebomb and Neuf is just one of the ways Guo and her team might guide an open-minded shopper who may not quite yet understand how to get with the in-crowd. We suppose this means the cool kids in China are those seeking a touch of individuality in their style, and there’s certainly no shortage of quirky, standout pieces at Yetang, ones that take your bizarre Xidan market find to another level.

Take, for instance, the horned Devil Volt phone chargers, which seem to be an arch mockery of silly bunny ear cases. Or there’s the baseball cap with playful cursive on the front, but instead of Chinglish, it says “Bull$hit,” fittingly supported with the slogan, “keep it real.” Suddenly, that iridescent purple fur coat on the rack at that Korean boutique seems wearable because the model from Yetang’s Rimless brand can rock it.

The site, which consistently boasts affordable prices and deals, curates picks from the deepest corners of the of the world of hip, independent Chinese designers, which means one doesn’t have to waste time on Taobao. Sure, Yetang has a Chinese-only interface, but it also has a cat-shaped search box. You win some, you lose some. Unlike the similar website Nuandao, formerly managed by Guo, Yetang’s products are primarily fashion-related and include make-up and accessories.

But what really makes Yetang stand out from its e-commerce competitors are its edgy product shoots. Poses veer between the cutesy, puffed cheek snapshots you might find upon any glance at your WeChat Moments and leggy models in heels seductively pursing their lips. Add in the colorful tessellations layered on torn sections of printed nature scenes, and one is left with the kind of galactic cool that puts you in the middle of an Animal Collective music video. It doesn’t get much wilder than that.

Also try: Brand New China, Nuandao.com

A version of this article appeared in the 2014 February issue of the Beijinger magazine, as seen below:

Photos courtesy of Yetang

Email: j.rapp@thebeijinger.com
Follow me on Instagram for Beijing Bar & Club + Style pics: @jrapppp

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