One of the most awkward situations for a fashion-conscious woman in the big city is finding herself standing face-to-face with someone else wearing the same dress, especially in a crowded space like the metro or a bar where there is no escape.
The guilty parties behind this embarrassing social phenomenon are: the fashion industry, or rather its increasing reliance on methods of mass production, and the tendency of department stores in Shanghai to all sell the same brands.
The solution: be different, think outside the box, and be creative.
If you want to be unique, it is much safer nowadays to take a shopping trip to relatively offbeat or out-of-the-way areas. One new choice is ID, the city's first Chinese fashion designers' store, which opened recently at Shanghai Mart.
ID (Innovation Design) invited about a dozen creative local designers to exhibit their wares at its 600-sq-m store. The list includes big names like Wu Xueka, represented by his very chic brand Zuura, and Chen Wen, who specializes in elegant denim designs. There is also one of my personal favorites, Liu 2, a brand developed by a young designer with the same family name. Liu's collection features simple colors such as white, black and grey, while offering customers unique cuts and comfortable fabrics.
The store offers a range of office dresses, casual wear and evening gowns. More recent additions include accessories from designers such as Chows accessories and gifts, and chic, contemporary yet affordable jewelry from Mary Jo.
Shanghai Mart will soon open an International Fashion Exchange (IFEX) to serve as a showroom and trade platform for overseas fashion brands catering to local enthusiasts. The first phase is expected to showcase more than 40 overseas brands in a total space exceeding 2,000 sq m.
Last but not least, Shanghai Mart plays host to a number of designers' studios, some of which double as retail outlets. As fewer people know about the place (many see it, mistakenly, as a trade-fair venue), you also get to enjoy thinner crowds and a much more pleasurable shopping environment.
Spending half a day here all but guarantees two things: you will avoid the crowd, and stand out from it, too.
ID
Add: 3F, 2299, Yan'an Road W., Shanghai Mart
Tel: 6236-1880
To unearth more of the city's hidden shopping gems, check out:
Tian Zi Fang
Add: Taikang Road area (near Ruijin Road) has lots of small designer stores such as INSH and Lavie; Changle Road (between Shaanxi Road and Chengdu Road) features boutiques for imported clothes.
Loft: a number of high street fashion stores.
Add: 283 Jianguo Road W.
