Shanghai’s best shopping is specific to Shanghai. You cannot get a tailored qipao made from genuine silk brocade in three days for ¥600 anywhere else in the world. You cannot find 1930s Shanghai Art Deco memorabilia with the density of Dongtai Road elsewhere. And Tianzifang, on a quiet weekday morning, is the best urban craft shopping experience in China. Here is where to go and what to buy. For the full shopping context: China Shopping Guide.
South Bund Fabric Market (南外滩轻纺城)
The South Bund Fabric Market is located near Nanpu Bridge in the Huangpu district. Metro Line 4 to Nanpu Bridge (南浦大桥) station. Five floors of fabric vendors and tailors. This is where you can have a tailored suit, dress, qipao, or jacket made for a fraction of Western tailoring prices. The Shanghai Expat community has recommended this market for over 20 years as the legitimate custom tailoring option.
How the process works
- Walk the floors to compare fabric quality and vendor manner. Some vendors speak more English than others. Find one you can communicate with.
- Choose your fabric. The vendor will show you samples and swatches. Better vendors will let you feel the weight and drape.
- Show photos of the garment style you want. Bring multiple reference images from different angles.
- Agree a price before any fabric is cut. This is the negotiation point.
- Get measured (or bring your own measurements if you know them precisely).
- Pay a deposit (typically 30 to 50%).
- Return in 48 to 72 hours for a fitting. Alterations are included.
- Pay the balance on collection.
Realistic pricing
| Garment | Fabric Grade | Price Range | Notes |
| Business suit (2-piece) | Mid-range wool blend | ¥1,200 to ¥2,000 | Allow 3 to 5 days. |
| Qipao (cheongsam) | Silk brocade | ¥600 to ¥1,500 | More complex than it looks. Good tailors take 3 days. |
| Dress shirt (5 shirts) | Cotton or linen | ¥400 to ¥800 total | Shirts can often be done in 48 hours. |
| Cashmere coat | Cashmere blend | ¥1,500 to ¥3,500 | Quality varies enormously. Check the fabric provenance. |
Tianzifang (田子坊)
A cluster of 1930s shikumen lane houses in Luwan District (French Concession area). The narrow laneways have been converted into a creative shopping and dining district with independent shops, artist studios, cafes, and galleries. This is the best place in Shanghai to buy genuinely interesting gifts: hand-painted silk goods, independent jewelry designers, vintage Shanghai graphics and typography prints, and small ceramics from Chinese artists. Go before 10am on weekdays for the most pleasant experience. After 11am on weekends it becomes very crowded.
Dongtai Road Antique Market (东台路古玩市场)
A shorter, more intimate version of Beijing’s Panjiayuan. Street-level antique and curio stalls running along Dongtai Road in the Luwan District. Better for a quick browse than a half-day excavation. Items: vintage ceramics, old Shanghai advertising posters, republican-era furniture, old coins, jade carvings. Prices are negotiable but the selection is smaller than Panjiayuan. Best in the morning when vendors are setting up.
The Fake Market
AP Xinyang Fashion and Gifts Market near Science and Technology Museum station on Line 2. Multi-floor indoor market. The goods are counterfeit branded products at very low prices. The vendor negotiation is aggressive: vendors start extremely high and you are expected to counter low. Some stalls are in back rooms accessed through doors. The experience is educational and the prices are low. For the legal and practical context, see the main shopping guide note on counterfeits.
Nanjing Road and Yu Garden Area
Nanjing Road (南京路) is Shanghai’s main pedestrian commercial street. Worth walking once for atmosphere. Not worth spending serious shopping time on: it is primarily Chinese chain stores, tourist-facing electronics, and overpriced snacks. Yu Garden Bazaar (豫园商城) is similar: attractive traditional architecture surrounding tourist-priced goods. Better for a dim sum breakfast in the early morning than for shopping.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the full shopping context: China Shopping Guide. For haggling: Haggling in China. For Shanghai overview: Shanghai Travel Guide.