Unless you've been living under a Shanghai rock or you're completely new to the city, there is a famous tourist attraction that is actually useful, the South Bund Fabric Market. And you're in luck, in this article-guide-review, we will tell you not only about the market itself, give you advice, but also feature an actual craftswoman and boutique owner Kelly Zhao, who will teach us how to navigate as newcomers, as well as discuss her own boutique story. We asked her to give us some insider tea, like how much should you expect to pay for a certain garment, how not to get ripped off and what kind of unexpected services can you find in the fabric market.

How to Find It

First things first, how do you find the South Bund Fabric Market?

1. If you're ordering a taxi, just put in this address:

399 Lujiabang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, or "上海南外滩轻纺面料市场"

2. If you're taking a subway, Metro Line 4 Nanpu Bridge Station (南浦大桥站) is your closest one. Go out from Exit 3 and walk northeast for four minutes, you will see it on the opposite side of the road.

And by the way, it's open from 9am to 6pm.

So, right after your arrival, what should you expect? Where to go? What to look for? To help answer these questions, we have Kelly, one of the most prominent players in the fabric market game. She's not only an owner of a store inside the market and a boutique right next to it, but also has a lot of experience working with international clients.

CNS: So, Kelly, how would you summarize the layout of the fabric market to someone who's never been there before? What can they look forward to?

Kelly: Yes, of course. The market has three floors. On the first and second floors you can find many men's suits, coats and women's clothing such as qipao (a kind of traditional Chinese one-piece dress) and regular dresses.

The third floor is different – mainly they sell fabrics. There are many kinds of silks, furnishings and some special textiles, velvet, embroidery, etc.

Writer's Note:

From personally going there a couple of times, here are some of my own observations:

• The first floor would be for higher-end shops, better fabrics and services.

• The second floor would be more of a budget-friendly assortment. However, most of the stores offer the exact same thing; you have to really look for gems.

• Third floor has a ton of traditional Chinese fabrics; beautiful silks were plenty. I struggled to find simple cotton fabric, but if you are looking for 真丝绸 (real silk), you would be in luck.

CNS: Okay, now could you give us an idea of the price ranges for most common garments? How much should people expect to spend on a basic, but personalized garment?

Kelly: Sure, let me explain. Now, these are just general price ranges. There might be extra costs for special customizations, embroidery, etc. But in general, for shirts, the price is around 120 to 150 yuan (US$16.6-20.7). A men's suit usually costs between 750 and 1,800 yuan depending on if it is a two-piece or three-piece suit. Women's dresses range widely, but the usual will be about 600 to 900 yuan. Pants are around 300 to 400 yuan, and coats or jackets can be from 700 to 1,000 yuan. But as I mentioned, it will depend heavily on the materials and cuts.

Editor's Note:

Remember, it is a market, you can always try to bargain. Especially if you want to order more than one garment, or a particularly pricey piece, always try to knock some extra yuan off, or ask for additional freebies, why not? An extra tie, a scarf or buy one get the second one for half the price, you never know if you get lucky.

CNS: Kelly, can you tell us about some unexpected custom things that are available at the market that people may not know about?

Kelly: Certainly! You can order custom leather shoes, leather jackets and even scarves. We also specialize in some unique traditional costumes, for example, the authentic German Oktoberfest outfits. Everything is tailored to your measurements and preferences. Many stores, ours included, can make beautiful embroideries on anything. Once we even had a request to make a copy of the red Super Man boots by a client from California.

CNS: Anything in particular that your store specializes in?

Kelly: I have a full team behind me; there isn't a single thing one of my foreign clients has asked us to make that we haven't been able to. It's one of the reasons why I love this job, some of my laowai (expat) clients are so creative.

Even if you don't know what you want, we can help you come up with ideas. From coats to hoodies, even something you just saw on the Internet or in a magazine, we can make.

Also, we do tailoring adjustments for free. So we always tell clients, don't worry about putting on extra weight, or needing to loose extra weight, either way, we'll make size adjustments complimentary, just come down.

Oh, one other thing. I had a customer last week tell me how much she loves Shanghai because of this. Some people just don't have time to come all the way to the market. No problem. We can do face-to-face consultations and visit you at your office, hotel or any place you need. We know this type of service can cost a fortune in other countries. Not in Shanghai.

CNS: How long does it usually take for a piece to be made?

Kelly: It can be made very fast, from a couple of days for simple tailorings or up to a week for more complicated designs. We do have a 24-hour turn-around service, which is popular these days with tourists who are here for a few days (or for people who need an outfit right away).

Editor's Note:

Most stores also offer shipping to anywhere in China as well as international. And unlike ordering something to China (not easy), sending something outside from China is very easy and can be quite affordable.

Well, to wrap our little article-guide-review on the fabric market, here are the main takeaways:

• To find it on you maps put in either South Bund Fabric Market (English) or 南外滩轻纺面料市场 (Chinese)

• Be prepared to spend there at least a couple of hours, if you can, bring a Chinese speaking local for a fun time.

• Products range from basic shirts and jackets, qipaos and accessories (first and second floor), fabric, furnishings and embroideries (third floor).

• Better to come with an idea of what you want or references not to spend too much time browsing through fabrics and being sold things you don't actually need.

• Be not afraid to bargain, "Laoban, da ge zhe ba" (老板,打个折吧!Boss, give a discount!)

• Besides ordering custom clothes, you can buy fabrics, learn to take measurements and bring your own materials and pay only for the craftsmanship.

Editor's Note:

If you don't want to wander in search of a good tailor and a good deal, go and find Kelly's store and let her know that you come from CNS~

Here is how to find her store inside the fashion market:

If you'd like to visit Kelly's private studio away from the hustle and bustle of the fabric market, it is just a block away from the main fabric market here. It is, by the way, the venue which is featured in most of our photos in this piece. (Copy Editor's Note: All the expat customers photographed were not staged. They were regulars who just happened to drop in on that day).

If you go...

Kelly's Private Tailor Studio

Address: Rm 18E, 18/F, 1228 Zhongshan Rd S., Huangpu District

黄浦区中山南路1228号18楼18E

Add Kelly on WeChat incase you get lost, or have inquiries: kellyzhao18726481208