Shopping & Services

Stay chic and unique at discreet designer outlets

By Xu Xiaomin (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-19 14:28

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.