[First in Shanghai] Chiikawa and Sunrisepop Arrive, Ideas Come Alive in Shanghai's New Flagship Openings

First in Shanghai is our column documenting the rise of Shanghai's "debut economy," a model built on being first, fast and everywhere at once. What started as a policy initiative has morphed into a citywide phenomenon: part economic strategy, part cultural spectacle. In this series, we explore how brands – both local and global – are choosing Shanghai not just to launch products, but to create moments. It's retail as ritual, commerce as event, and we're here to unpack what it all means.

Shanghai's retail scene continues to buzz with fresh arrivals, each one adding a new spark to the city's ever-evolving mix of style, culture and creativity. From Japan's beloved Chiikawa making its long-awaited Chinese mainland debut to Hong Kong's Sunrisepop bringing anime collectibles to life on Nanjing Road, and from the avant-garde eyewear of A. Society to the eco-conscious skincare philosophy of Simply This, these new openings highlight the city's role as a magnet for global brands and innovative ideas.

Chiikawa

The first-ever offline flagship store of Japan's wildly popular IP Chiikawa on the Chinese mainland opened on September 27 in Shanghai.

From plush charms and beauty products to snacks, the store offers a wide range of items. Fans of Chiikawa flocked to the opening – many even traveled from across the country just to be there.

Chiikawa is a manga series created by Japanese webcomic artist Nagano. With its adorable, heart-warming characters, the IP has captured global attention through social media buzz, animation shorts and brand collaborations. On video sharing site Bilibili in China, the Chiikawa animation shorts have already garnered nearly 100 million views.

The name Chiikawa literally means "small and cute things," and the story follows three little creatures – Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi – through their sweet, everyday adventures.

The flagship store offers a series of exclusive limited-edition items, including the Shanghai-exclusive vintage plush charm, Shanghai-exclusive hairy crab plush charm, and China-exclusive lion dance plush charm. The city-themed designs cleverly combine Chiikawa's imagery with Shanghai's local cultural elements, quickly winning the hearts of shoppers.

The store spans two floors, offering not only a broad selection of merchandise but also an immersive experience for visitors to explore and take photos. Note that once you head up to the second floor, you won't be able to return to the first floor, so make sure to pick out everything you want before you go upstairs.

The first floor features Shanghai-exclusive and classic-themed display areas, selling both the China and Shanghai limited-edition series along with other bestsellers.

The second floor showcases two popular themes – Chiikawa Angel & Devil and Chiikawa Magic – where fans can shop for themed products and play on claw machines for a chance to win plush dolls such as Halloween Angel and Pumpkin Driver, Halloween Black Cat, and Goblin Chiikawa.

Address: 139 Nanjing Rd E.

南京东路139号

Sunrisepop

Shanghai's Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall is home to one of the city's most vibrant anime and pop culture scenes. On September 26, Sunrisepop, a Hong Kong-based anime and designer toy brand, opened its first-ever flagship store nationwide at Bailian ZX.

Sunrisepop offers a diverse range of anime-inspired collectibles, including figures, action toys, building blocks, plushies, apparel, home décor and more. Fans can find merchandise from hit series like "Jujutsu Kaisen" – including PVC figures, action figures and block models – as well as a blind-box mini plush charms series based on Sakamoto Days.

Address: L4, Bailian ZX, 340 Nanjing Rd E.

南京东路340号百联ZXL4

A. Society

Hong Kong-based international eyewear brand A. Society has opened its first boutique on the Chinese mainland at Taikoo Li Qiantan.

With avant-garde aesthetics at its core, A. Society refines premium acetate through innovative craftsmanship and meticulous design, blending multicultural influences, street style and artistic vision into every frame. The result is eyewear that transcends mere accessory status – becoming a bold statement of self-expression.

The store showcases A. Society's full product range and features a limited-edition collaboration with New Era. Inspired by Asia's underground music scene, the collection merges A. Society's futuristic aesthetic with classic styles, presenting a lineup of eyewear, hats and accessories.

Address: Wood Zone-L3, Taikoo Li Qiantan, Lane 500 Dongyu Rd

东育路500弄前滩太古里木区L3层

Simply This | 诗肤理

Skincare brand Simply This recently opened its first offline store in China, located in Shanghai.

Founded in 2019 by Elaine Gong and Bill Liu, Simply This focuses on skincare solutions for sensitive and mature skin.

Elaine, a chemical engineering graduate from the University of Cambridge, previously worked in consumer insights at Unilever's global R&D center and is a serial entrepreneur in the beauty industry. Bill, formerly the general manager of strategic industries at a top 10 real estate group, is also an investor in biotechnology ventures.

The two founders, who have known each other since elementary school and are now partners in life and business, both come from a small pomegranate-growing county in Sichuan Province's Liangshan region. After years apart studying and working abroad, they returned to China to launch Simply This together.

Its tagline, "the skincare brand that grows pomegranates," refers to its zero-carbon orchard in Liangshan, which offsets the carbon footprint of its products. By Q3 2022, Simply This achieved full carbon neutrality across all its product lines, becoming China's first carbon-neutral skincare brand.

Currently, Simply This offers nine SKUs, focusing on repairing the skin barrier and restoring "skin vitality" for dry and sensitive skin.

Prices range from 180-380 yuan (US$25-53) for cleansers and toners & emulsions, 348-420 yuan for creams and repair masks.

Address: 535 Jinqiao Rd

金桥路535号