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While video is rendering and I’ve reached a bottleneck in my work flow - I want to rewind a couple nights ago to where I found myself hanging out with my usual gang including Miuccia Prada, Gong Li, Lindsey Wixson and the Pet Shop Boys.

While I normally hang out with these folks in Paris, Milan or New York this time we gathered in Beijing for the Prada Spring/Summer 2011 Fashion Show (for those of you who don’t know me, please insert a sarcastic tone and reread the last sentence).

When you look at indicators of a global culture shift in relationship to China — this one is easy to see. And while working for Woman’s Wear Daily, it has become increasing evident to me that the fashion world wants a piece of the China action too. Last month I shot gigs with Versace, Comme de Garçon, fashion designer Rei Kawakubo as well as some Beijing street fashion street photography where I had to photograph strangers on the street who I thought were fashionable. In the eyes of the fashion world — Beijing is becoming increasingly more hip (and in my realization of this, I’ve become increasingly aware of how unfashionable I am).

While I’m not fashionable — the lady above certainly is. This is actress Gong Li, drinking champagne backstage at the Prada show. While I was a bit busy to be drinking champagne at this exact moment in time, Ms. Gong was not the only celebrity drinking champagne and turning heads around me.

For example, above is model Lindsey Wixon. While waiting for the Pet Shop Boys to play I spent a couple minutes with Ms. Wixon.

Wixson then went on to Milan where she opened the Spring 2010 Prada show as an exclusive, thus making her one of the most successful newcomers that season. She has since walked in shows for many notable designers in the Milan, Paris, London, and New York fashion weeks including Miu Miu, Missoni, Tommy Hilfiger, Victoria Beckham, Louis Vuitton, Versace, and Sophia Kokosalaki.

After the gig, while writing captions I looked up the young lady. And this is when I realized, she is in fact, a young lady. Lindsey was born in 1994.

However, when on stage the presence these models give is not that of someone who might not be able to drive in their home state. Lindsey (above, middle) as well as the other models seem a bit ageless. Unlike movie stars or rock stars, high fashion models have a lot of ambiguous features. They don’t look old. They don’t look young. They are all extremely skinny, but usually don’t have too many curves which can indicate age. In many ways, as someone recently said to me — they are kind of like clothes hangers. They are chosen to highlight the clothes, not necessarily them.

So — who are these skinny ladies? I’m not exactly sure, but after some preliminary research, it does appear that super models are actually — kids.

However, not everyone at the show was a child and some big names in fashion were there, including Italian fashion designer (above) Miuccia Prada.

Miuccia Prada is an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur. She also has a Ph.D. in Political Science. Prada was born in Milan, the youngest granddaughter of Mario Prada, founder of the company and according to Forbes, was on the top of the World’s Richest People 2001 list.

Before the assignment, I was told by my editor to attempt to get a shot of Ms. Prada at the end of her show. I was also told that when she comes out, she usually only appears for about 3 seconds. In attempt to actually be in the right spot during those 3 seconds, I did manage to get 4 frames off, one of which appeared in print yesterday (below).

While this shot was tricky, these assignments are always difficult for me. I’m constantly having to back off frames to show what people are wearing, head to toe — which is intrinsically backwards of what I like to do. Details, tight crops and most creative photography is also pretty much not needed. However, while I shoot for them — I continue to pull the trigger when it seems like I should.

For example, this shot of Chinese actress Tang Wei (above) has almost no value to WWD because you can’t see her outfit. While I like the frame, the shadow and detail in the portrait — it doesn’t see the light of day in terms of being published (at least for this source).

Here’s another example … I’d be happy to crop a dozen models bodies off at the knees to highlight the detail in color in their shoes. Seems like a good idea? Nope. No value.

And yet, another … The shoe of one model passes in front of the runway entrance where another model watches before making her walk. Seems like a good idea? Nope. No value.

Or a shot we don’t normally see form the high fashion world — a model lineup with ordered pin-up style photos of the models on a whiteboard backstage. Seems like a good move. You know the answer.

This isn’t to say that the other photos aren’t nice or fun to take. Most of the entire event produces interesting frames wherever you look.

But it does take some concentration to continually take photos that stylistically are against your instinct.

While Beijing’s place on the global stage is growing, the fashion industry is not missing out on the Asian invasion. Prada’s move to hold this event in Beijing is just a representation of more-and-more eyes on China — both within the fashion world and for those of us who only see it from the outside.

Video is done rendering! Next blog post will bring you back to the Philippines — Now, back to work.