Cai Yu-xiu, a seafood vendor at Taipei's Sanshui Market, has brought some color and fashion to the market via the clothes she wears, a white lace outfit resembling a maid’s uniform.
She said she has always enjoyed dressing up, and never expected that the apron she bought in Japan some 30 years ago would become so fashionable today. Even Cai's son said his mother was ahead of her time in embracing cosplay, a popular Japanese performance art in which people wear costumes and accessories to represent a specific character from a comic book, film or video game.
Cai said her favorite color is white; she specially makes sure that the counters in her shop are clean so she does not get her clothes dirty. This is in contrast to the generally grimy scenes in most traditional markets. Cai's devotion to cleanliness has paid off, as customers are attracted to a hygienic place and believe that the sashimi she sells tastes better than that of neighboring shops.
Cai is originally from Kaohsiung; she and her husband are the third generation running the 60-year-old seafood business passed down from her husband's side of the family. Cai is a grandmother and yet looks much younger than her actual age. She said her secret to maintaining a youthful appearance is to eat fresh fish, which is good for the skin and eyes.
Cai has brought quite a bit of attention to herself with her unique apparel. Movies such as “Orz Boyz” and “Secret” shot some scenes at the Sanshui Market and even had Cai play cameo roles. Besides being featured in the films, Cai was delighted by the windfall it generated for the store.
(This article originally appeared in The Liberty Times Nov. 1.)