An 85-year-old farmer, who
tended rice paddies all his life and never wore a suit, has become an unlikely
style icon in China.
A series of photos of Ding
Bingcai, nattily dressed and striking elegant poses, taken by his fashion
photographer grandson recently went viral on Chinese social media.
He's drawn comparisons to
Nick Wooster, the fifty
something New York street-style star.
Ding Guoliang, who prefers
to be called Jesse said that the photos were both a tribute to his grandpa and
a way to raise awareness about caring for the elderly.
Jesse had the idea of
profiling his grandpa last summer when Bingcai moved to the southeastern city
of Xiamen where his grandson owns a photography studio.
"I wanted to show him
what I do for a living,"
"He had known I was a
photographer, but thought I worked in an old-school photo studio."
They spent three days
shooting while wandering around the coastal city. In some of the photos, the
two wore the same outfits and adopted the same posture in the same location.
"My grandpa had never
worn a suit before," Jesse said.
"Like everybody in
his generation, he experienced tremendous hardship when he was young. I only
wish he had had a better life like mine."
Clad in a duffel coat and
a fur hat, Bingcai, a father of five and grandfather of 10, spoke little but
said he enjoyed wearing the classy outfits.
Now 30, Jesse grew up with
his grandpa Bingcai in the countryside until he was 10.
"When I was a kid, he
would keep all the delicious food for me -- eggs, apples, candy... and he loved
telling stories about himself as a young boy."
Jesse is now repaying the
favor.
He's taken his grandfather on
his first trip to the Chinese capital to fulfill a life-long dream of his to
visit Tian'anmen Square.
And photos haven't just brought
Jesse and his grandfather closer, they've unexpectedly strengthened ties among
his extended family.
"I am from a peasant
family where people weren't particularly touchy feely," he says
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