Though Aurelien's childhood dream was to be an architect, he was, like most French teenagers, preoccupied with the art of looking good. With an affinity for transforming second-hand items on his mother’s sewing machine, Aurelien soon discovered he was a born designer. At an early age, he found many similarities between fashion and architecture, and his designs still reflect skyscraper-like constructions. Take this jacket, for example: it is a triple-buttoned, single-breast lapel jacket without dart or side seams, and yet it's still perfectly fitted. It is an excellent example of Aurelien's pattern making know-how, not unlike the architectural blueprints of a unique building structure. Although most of the clothes he wears are his own creation (see www.ledivanstudio.com), he does credit 5号 in Mao'er Hutong and Triple Major in Baochao Hutong for some of the most "out of track" European designs in Beijing. For the bleak dreary winter months ahead, Aurelien suggests wearing a brightly colored item, like these crimson trousers he designed. “I call them my anti-depressant pants." Next time the Beijing winter blues strike, "try putting on a vibrant article of clothing, and forget the Prozac," he advises.

Name: Aurelien Lecour
Nationality: French
Occupation: Designer and co-founder of Le Divan Studio
Web: www.ledivanstudio.com

Fashionista: MeiLi Autumn
For more style analysis or fashion insight, visit MeiLi's website, www.MeiLiAutumn.com
Photographer: Tao Zi
Hair and Makeup: MeiLi Autumn