Must-see shopping in Shanghai

What better way to brighten up your hall than with a poster of jubilant socialist workers? Madame Mao's Dowry has an emphasis on design during the Mao era…

There is a mix of high-end designers (Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Miu Miu, Prada) and younger casual brands (Mango, Camper, Muji) at this upscale…

The city’s largest fabric chain is good for a quick browse to see a typical selection of Chinese prints and fabric designs. In-house tailors can make you…

You can spend a good while perusing the weird and wonderful gifts in this steampunk-style store. Awesome collector's items are displayed in a museum-like…

The shelves are well stocked at this bookshop-cafe-gelato-bar, with a great selection of novels, art books, cookbooks, language references, and books on…

Peruse an exquisite collection of minority handicrafts from China’s southwest, most of which are secondhand (ie not made for the tourist trade) and…

This incredibly glam and glitzy six-storey mall beneath the Cesar Pelli–designed twin towers of the Shanghai International Finance Center hosts a swish…

Fitted out by Shanghai-based designers Neri & Hu and located in the art deco Donghu Hotel building, this is the flagship store of Comme Moi. Created by…

This Tianzifang Feiyue outlet – the legendary Shanghai sneakers brand dating back to the 1920s – is a good bet for lots of styles of the low-key classic…

This boutique shop specialises in garments made of cashmere from Inner Mongolia, with incredibly soft jumpers, gloves, beanies, rugs and accessories. They…

For an up-to-the-minute look at what's hot in local fashion, head to this beautiful boutique housed in a converted villa – it's an incubator for young…

One of the top names in Asian haute couture, Taiwanese designer Shiatzy Chen finds her inspiration in traditional Chinese aesthetics. The exclusive…

A multistorey, traditional-looking building (look for the two enormous calligraphy brushes outside) with an excellent selection of art and calligraphy…

A friendly, reliable tea shop, which has loads of good-quality clay teapots and cups, and a great range of Chinese tea from oolong and green to flower and…

Serious shoppers should make for Xintiandi Style, a high-end mall featuring a handful of Chinese and independent designers including Singaporean label Mu…

Small but serene shop with a highly browse-worthy collection of design-led gift ideas, including Frank Lloyd Wright–style bookmarks, pieces from the V&A…

Super cute hand-designed qípáo dresses for young girls and children's Western-style outfits. Prices start at around ¥150. There are other branches on…

An independent little indigo shop, selling awesome hand-made, hand-dyed blue-tinted garments, using traditional methods. Pick up stylish printed shirts,…

Excellent supermarket with rows crammed full of imported goodies. Whether you're craving some Weetabix cereal, a pop tart or an international newspaper or…

Awesome little vintage glasses store, hidden in a lane off Julu Rd, with refurbished original frames displayed in glass vats and bookcases. Glasses start…