Shanghai Vlog: Tailoring at the Fabric Market + Brunch at Madison!
instagram.com/timandglo
August 2 & 17, 2014
Glo was beyond excited when she heard that Shanghai is known for its tailors! There are several fabric and tailoring markets, but we decided to go to the one that Glo's friend recommended, the South Bund Fabric Market (apparently also known as the South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market!). It's metro accessible. Just walk about 10-12 minutes from exit 3 of the NanPu Bridge subway station on Line 4.
This market has three floors of stall after stall of tailors who each offer their own selection of fabrics and designs. You can choose a design off of a mannequin or from a catalog of designs. The third option is to bring your design, either a photo, sketch or piece of clothing you'd like remade. Based on friends' experiences, asking the tailors to make something from a photo or hand-drawn design can be risky and usually requires multiple fittings with no guarantee of satisfaction. It's much simpler to choose a design from one of their mannequins because this usually means they've made it before.
Glo really held back and had just one pair of silk shorts made. :p Depending on the tailor and the fabric, some shopkeepers are willing to bargain while others are not. We went back to the market two weeks after our initial visit to pick up the shorts. Glo was happy with the fit in the end, so no alterations were needed. Yay!
You can also purchase scarves, jewelry, and bags at the fabric market. It seems to be open until 5:00 or 6:00 PM.
The neighborhood around the fabric market is also worth exploring! A lot of the buildings are being demolished, but the streets are still bustling with activity. It felt like the real Shanghai. While the market itself is filled with expats, we didn't see a single one just two blocks down the road.
Before returning to the fabric market on August 17th, we went for brunch at Madison, which is a popular restaurant in the French Concession. Two thumbs up for the banana stuffed French toast!
Thank you for watching!!
10 Tips for the Shanghai Fabric Market | City Weekend Shanghai
A trip to the fabric market doesn't need to be so stressful. Follow these tips and you'll have a new custom-tailored wardrobe in no time, without the headaches.