Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Best
Boutiques
No economic recession here - the Shanghainese have spent the past few years
pounding nails into communism's coffin with a vengeance. 'Shop, shop, shop'
has become the unofficial mantra, and everyone, from trendy 20-somethings to
store-minding grandmothers, is eager to make up for lost time. All the better for
visitors: Shanghai shopping has never been so good.
Fashion
The boutiques in the French Concession are where the most interesting finds are going to
be, though given the sheer number of tiny shops, it can be hard to separate the wheat from
the chaff. Start with shopping strips such as Xinle Rd, which has a good variety of local
fashion, and Nanchang Rd, which is good for browsing, with shoes, antiques and clothing.
Another good strip is Changle Rd, which has a string of showrooms for up-and-coming de-
signers.
Traditional Chinese Clothing
If you're in the market for a traditional Chinese jacket or
qipao
, you have plenty of tailors
to choose from. S Maoming Rd just south of Huaihai Rd is a good place to start comparing
designs and patterns; Shanghai 1936 at Tianzifang (
Click here
)
is another dependable
choice.
Ceramics & Handicrafts
Although Chinese porcelain spent much of the 20th century in an artistic funk, a new gen-
eration of designers has started picking up the slack, trying to restore artistic credibility to
Jingdezhen ceramics. The results are on display in Shanghai's shops - look for everything
from modernist teapots and dinnerware sets to exquisite handmade cups.
