Commerce and trade have long defined the Chinese Mainland’s most cosmopolitan city. For more than a century, people have flocked to Shanghai’s major shopping boulevards – Nanjing Lu and Huaihai Lu – to browse big-name department stores, luxury fashion labels and trendy shopping centres. And now there’s more choice than ever. From edgy boutiques and sustainable lifestyle stores to flea markets and next-level shopping malls, here’s where to shop in Shanghai.

Labelhood

China’s young fashion designers are on the rise, and Labelhood has played no small part in fuelling the movement. Started by Tasha Liu, the fashion platform champions and supports emerging designers at home and abroad. Its charming three-storey lanehouse boutique, Labelhood Pillar, is an insider’s guide to the country’s top talent and labels, both new and established, like Shushu/Tong and Angel Chen. Around the corner on Julu Lu, gents can browse the newly opened Labelhood Men’s.  

Common Rare Cafe & Select Shop 

In a lane off the charming Yuyuan Lu, this petite shop is perfect for bringing home a slice of modern Shanghai. It’s the first brick-and-mortar offshoot of the wildly popular pop-up market Common Rare , founded by Vivian Wong and Tiffany Sze to showcase local makers and independent designers. A small exhibition space on the second floor and an on-site coffee shop offer a peaceful moment in between browsing the selection of candles, prints, postcards and other home accessories. 

Now Space

People-watch while browsing this hip new mixed-use complex in Jing’an district. Housed in a former factory and youth hostel on lane 273 in Jiaozhou Lu, Now Space is home to some of the city’s hottest restaurants, bars and stores. At XC273, you’ll find avant-garde fashion – including the likes of Ximon Lee and Eckhaus Latta – showcased alongside dramatic art installations. Explore Park Mall for trendy menswear, vintage designers, and arty books, zines and underground Chinese music on vinyl. Nearby, Swiss brand Freitag occupies a pared-back space designed to minimise carbon impact, with a repair station and workshop on the ground floor and its full range of bags and accessories made from recycled truck tarp above. 

Green shops

While there’s still work to do, an eco-conscious movement has been steadily growing in Shanghai. In the heart of the former French Concession, Hong Kong-born entrepreneur Vincent Fong (co-founder and CEO of Raze) has opened 3R Labs on Baoqing Lu street, a shop aiming to be as green as Shanghai’s leafy lanes. Here, you’ll find sustainable beauty, design and home products, like 3D-printed vases made from recycled plastic and bento boxes from coconut fibre. With origins as an app for secondhand goods, Deja Vu on Anfu Lu street bills itself as a “recycle store”. An extensive selection of second-hand Chinese and English books across all genres occupy one floor, while the other sells gently used clothing from brands including Marni and Acne Studios.

Ceramics

Many visitors come to Shanghai to shop for ceramics – porcelain is called “china” for a reason, as it was first made in the Middle Kingdom during the Tang dynasty (618-907). Pick up delicately crafted teacups and other fine wares at Chinale, a small shop down Lane 774, Changle Lu, an unassuming alleyway which spotlights the work of contemporary young Chinese artisans. For a whimsical spin on the craft, Brut Cake on Anfy Lu street in the Xuhui District features designer and founder Nicole Teng’s playful hand-painted ceramics alongside her quirky textile pieces.

Oldies but goodies

From old Chinese furniture to retro trinkets, treasure hunters won’t be disappointed in Shanghai. The best can be found at the city’s weekly flea markets. Every Friday from 5am until midday, sellers gather on the third floor of Lingshi Lu street’s Juqi Antique City in the Putuo District to hawk their wares. Expect typical rummage sale fare (old books, photographs and records) mixed with local finds (Chinese thermoses and delicate rolls of calligraphy). While it’s debatable what’s truly antique or not, a morning spent digging is bound to turn up a one-of-a-kind souvenir. Also, don’t miss Fontaine Antique Shop , filled floor-to-ceiling with antique dolls, glass lamps and knick-knacks from around the world.

Taikoo Li Qiantan

Spread over 120,000sqm in Pudong’s up-and-coming Qiantan area, this sprawling development is the buzziest of Shanghai’s new malls. A wellness theme runs throughout the complex, with an outdoor jogging track winding across the top level. More than 250 shops span a mix of outdoor and indoor spaces that make for leisurely retail therapy. Look for the usual line-up of international brands alongside unique elements like a “fusion store” from Hasselblad and DJI or Starbucks’ first environmentally friendly Greener Store outside the US.