Gucci in the Land of Genghis Khan

How Mongolia struck it rich.

PHOTOS BY TIMOTHY FADEK | JANUARY 3, 2011

Mongolia is searching for its identity as it undergoes modernization. Here, models wait backstage after the Gobi cashmere fashion show in Ulaanbaatar on Oct. 16, 2009.

 

Photos by Timothy Fadek/Polaris Images.

 

CASSANDRINA

5:36 AM ET

January 9, 2011

Mongolia

I am sorry to say these photos, probably done over a short period of time, do not capture the essense or beauty of Mongolia.
I was working there for 6 weeks and can only wonder at a country that is probably unique in the world for the number of women that "run" this wonderful country.
The women are dominant in the middle management due to rampant alcoholism in men (they will beat any other nation on vodka and all other spirits) their integrity and hard headedness, as well as many have degrees from Soviet times as engineers.
The women are also some of the most beautiful in the world being a mixture of Chinese and Siberian blood as up-market Eurasians. These photos do not capture the dignity and bearing they have.
Go out to dinner or lunch and you will see 3 or 4 men businessmen morosely finish a bottle of vodka before the starters are delivered, but with women you will see some 8-10 of them at a vibrant communal lunch or dinner with no person drinking alcohol.
The country by its nature breeds toughness with the men especially.
Any foreigner marrying a Mongolian bride (I met them) had better be a very good performer ecnomically and physically, otherwise their contempt will prove tangible.
One of the many aged American tourists I met with, called Mongolia "the last frontier", and wanted to see it before he died, as should every world traveller.

 

TSTSENDEE

8:44 AM ET

January 30, 2011

Mixture of Chinese and Siberian blood?!

First, I agree with Cassandrina on the point about the dominance of women in the middle management which is probably one of only few in the world. USA and UK constantly on about having democratic society and gender equality etc. In fact, they have the worst statistics on gender equality in terms of pay (pay gap in the UK between men and women is still more than 20 percent) and lack of representation in middle management and CEO levels.

You seem to have grasped that 'steely' character of Mongolian women, very rare in women of East Asia, but common in Central Asia. I can see you are trying to work out why is that. However, coming to a naive conclusion such as; "mixture of Chinese and Siberian blood or up market Eurasians" are kind of upsetting. I am a Mongolian myself, one of many determined women, some of you may have encountered during your stay in Mongolia. First, the identity of Mongolian women is partially characterized by their heritage of (and there is no such thing as mixture as Chinese and Siberian) being descendants from Central Asian nomads. Second, the communism (much despised by the west) is the biggest reason why Mongolian women are level headed and educated. Because their parents lived through communism, enjoyed a good level of education, a long term employment (both parents). They haven't seen their mothers staying at home just being homemakers, they have seen their mothers working full time but still raised them through sheer hard work. Communism may have had side effects on us but education and level entry for opportunities to both men and women were the achievements of 20th Century Mongolia. Luckily, the result of that hard work of our parents continues on. I have never met any Mongolian woman, who wanted to just mum (there is nothing wrong with it) and sitting at home. We want to make our contribution to the society and that's what communism taught us.

As for the drinking habits of Mongolian women, yes, they drink but sensibly. It would be wrong to say, they don't drink at all. They do but not to an extent of some Mongolian men drink.

Yes, sure, there is no single country in the world which has no problem with poverty, alcoholism and corruption. UK has so much of them, heavily in deficit, 10 percent of the work force is on benefit (for 9 or more years), unemployment is soaring, drug use is endemic and a parliament full of men (mostly millionaires) but still claims 0.40 pence for a biscuit from tax payer's money. Sorry, I am not defending Mongolia but the problems we have in Mongolia is not unique to us. Oh, we else jailed couple of bankers for running down banks. In the UK, no banker has ever been jailed even properly questioned now Eton educated PM and Deputy PM trying to raise that money (gambled by bankers) from ordinary citizens. Disgraceful!

Overall, I agree with you about Mongolian women as being strong, opinionated, educated and accomplished.

And I would like to congratulate Timothy for his outstanding work! I nearly cried after seeing that boy in the boys' prison. You have definitely captured the spirit of Mongolia I love without excluding the reality!

 

WKMA47

12:05 AM ET

January 25, 2011

Mongol Woman

Am married to a Mongolian lady ...College educated in Russia...speaks 4 languages. Went to her country 2 years ago. We traveled thru the countryside with a driver (a must-have considering there are no roads ouside of UlaanBaatar). Noticed that Mongols in the USA speak English with just a slight accent, unlike Koreans for example. I told my friends this country is like the last frontier with the open coulntry and friendly people.
WKMA (USA)

 

MONGOLICA

6:03 AM ET

January 27, 2011

I hate the Mongolian Government!!!

I am Mongolian woman. In my opinion this Photo essay shows truth life in Mongolia. Even something is worse than shows on this.

The government would like to increase poverty to take support from donors at first, Then they desided to keep poverty as much as they can because of easy to win for election. When there is election they distribute 5 kg rice, a cup which printed their ugly photos to buy vote.

Do you imagine, just 2,6 million Mongolian living in more than million square km landscape with plenty of natural resources+ much support from donors. Where does they wealth flows? only to oligarchs.

There is no policy for everything. Its very complicated to live in Mongolia even for Mongolians. No one cant do any thing without the corrupt /give present/ there.

The government exporting all natural resources without benefit to state and all people to work out. We lost intellectual part of population to western and young, healthy, uneducated population to South Korea to work+ educated, younger, beauty ladies tend to marry to foreigners and leaving country.

There would not be real Mongolians in Mongolian landscape after 100 years due to exporting population+air pollution, unsafe food, poor health care system and poor living condition. Can you imagine 12 people die in Mongolia per day because of alcohol, abuse, accident and work.

Urban areas ruralizing, healthy people dieing, middle class of the society is decreasing, crime is increasing...................

Oh my god... GOD BLESS MY HOMELAND