About Us

Stephen Rocard and Stephanie Zhou met in the Southern Chinese City of Zhuhai in March of 2007. They formed the business Mao Mao Chong in early 2008 renting a space at the City Central Youth Hostel in Beijing, China and selling their own China inspired Designer T-Shirts. The idea for the business came about when the couple unsuccessfully searched for stylish reasonably priced T-Shirts in a Chinese market currently flooded with iconic kitsch, Chinglish, Big name sports brands, over-priced designer brands, bad quality and simply uncool T-Shirts. "We wanted designs that weren't particularly Chinese but had Chinese elements in a modernistic design".

After a successful 4 months which included the busy 2008 Beijing Olympic period Mao Mao Chong closed its doors and re-opened a new Store in Wu Dao YIng Hutong, Beijing, China. The new space located in one of Beijing's old alleyways in a 150 year old courtyard house also incorporates a classy bar giving customers the opportunity to relax with a beer or a rich Vietnamese coffee while checking out the great range of China inspired T-Shirts.

What is a Mao Mao Chong?

Mao Mao Chong is the Chinese name for Caterpillar. Literally translated it means 'hairy insect'.

Why Mao Mao Chong?

Some Foreigners like having a Chinese name, but they chose their name in a different way. Some of them named Li Xiao Long (Bruce Lee), Some of them named Lao Hu (Tiger), some of them just use the Chinese translation of their English name etc. But this unusual guy who I love the most has got a special Chinese name.

13th Oct 2007. Stephen and Stephanie travelled to Tiger Leaping Gorge, Yunnan Province, China; 'we had seen so many insects on the way; of course I am scared of insects, especially caterpillars. I thought they look horrible, and they are poisonous. But Stephen thinks caterpillars are beautiful. He was like: Insects have their own beauty.Their shape, their color etc. If you look at them carefully, actually they are not ugly'.

'I was touched by his words, because of his unique aesthetic standard. After that, I started calling him Mao Mao Chong (a caterpillar), because he is so lovely, so beautiful, so unadorned, so capable'.