For anyone who remembers how “Made in Japan” was a running joke in the U.S. during the 70’s, the “Made in China” tag can elicit some mixed feelings. It gives off the “been there, done that” vibe as in “We joked once and then watched as the Japanese taught us a thing or two about quality, so maybe I should keep my mouth shut about China”. On the other hand, for those who aren’t old enough (especially within the design community), the often defensive commentary on China has taken pot shots at their design ability; or rather, supposed lack of it. And even though more than a few older designers are out there reminding the youngsters that Chinese business is only giving the West what it wants, the perception that the West somehow owns style persists.

Well, get ready to eat crow youngsters. BusinessWeek is carrying a slideshow (link) to accompany an article today on Shanghai Tang, and it’s looking like the one-way style street has opened for two-way traffic. Maybe we should give the Chinese 3 of the 4 lanes.

{Image source: BusinessWeek}