I never pay attention to fashion and brands. I wear what I feel is comfortable and convenient. Decades ago, my 10-year-old Italian nephew asked me for jeans from Canada when I visited.
我从不关心时尚与名牌。我只穿感觉舒适的衣服。几十年前,我10岁大的意大利侄子要我去看他时送他一条加拿大当地产的牛仔裤。
Upon seeing them, he exclaimed they were not Levis. "What does Levis mean?" I asked naively.
当见到他们一家时,我的侄子大声说这不是李维斯。我直言不讳地问道:“李维斯是什么意思?”
Later, I was preparing to come to China when my Sichuan friend ordered jeans for her daughter. "You mean Levis, I guess?"
后来,当我准备来中国的时候,一位四川的朋友托我为她的女儿买牛仔裤。“我猜,你是想要李维斯的?”
"No, Benetton," she said.
她回答说:“不,是贝纳通的。”
Living in China I realize the impact brands have on people here. Once I bought a pair of sandals because I needed sandals. More non-Chinese than Chinese told me, "Wow! You wear them? You have money!" I didn't know why they thought 150-yuan ($22) sandals - obviously fake - were for wealthy people. I had never heard that brand name (which I can't remember) before.
生活在中国,我意识到名牌对人们的影响无处不在。一次我由于需要买了双凉鞋。许多人都对我说:“哇!你穿这个牌子的鞋?真有钱!”这其中外国人的比例要超过中国人。我不明白为什么他们会认为标价150元(合22美元)的凉鞋(很明显是仿冒品)只能是富人的专属。另外我之前从没听过那个牌子(我已经记不清叫什么名字了)。