Custom-made clothing becomes a new calling card for Shanghai

In mid-August, Szi from Hungary could barely contain her excitement as she stood before a mirror. The custom-made outfit she had just tried on was the biggest surprise of her trip.

Today, more and more international visitors like Szi are going to Shanghai's South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market, or the South Bund Custom Tailoring Center, specifically to have clothes made. The fabric market, once serving mainly local regulars, has quickly become a popular destination for visitors to Shanghai.

Szi (second from right) poses with her tailor at the South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market, or the South Bund Custom Tailoring Center, in Shanghai. (Photo/Yang Wen)

Zhang Shengxiang, general manager of the market, said that the number of foreign customers has increased significantly this year, preliminarily accounting for 60 percent of the total, up from around 40 percent previously. They mainly come from the U.S., the UK, Australia, Azerbaijan and Mauritius, among other countries and regions.

Customers consistently point to the same things: reasonable prices, a perfect fit, one-of-a-kind designs and attentive service.

Photo shows an exterior view of the South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market, or the South Bund Custom Tailoring Center, in Shanghai. (Photo/Yang Wen)

Franky Wang, head of Asia Business Activation for the Bank of New Zealand, came here and had three high-end all-wool suits, as well as a vest and a shirt, custom-made at a store named "Peter Yin." He spent about 10,000 yuan (about $1,490) in total — roughly half of what the same order would cost back in New Zealand, he said, and with a better fit besides.

"Made-to-measure" is another major draw.

Franky Wang (left), head of Asia Business Activation for the Bank of New Zealand, poses for a picture with Yin Conggeng, owner of the store "Peter Yin," at the South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market, or the South Bund Custom Tailoring Center, in Shanghai. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

The process runs in careful sequence: choosing the occasion, viewing samples, selecting fabrics, taking measurements, making the pattern, a first fitting, adjustments, a second fitting, and final inspection. Every step serves the same purpose — to make the clothes fit the person, rather than the person fit the clothes.

In fact, the value of custom-made clothing is rooted in Shanghai's textile heritage.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Shanghai's cotton spindles accounted for half of the national total, and the textile industry remained the city's leading pillar industry at the end of the 1980s. The South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market was established in 2005.

The 2010 World Expo brought the market its first wave of international customers.

Chen Qin, owner of TOM & JENNY, takes a customer's measurements at the South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market, or the South Bund Custom Tailoring Center, in Shanghai. (Photo/Yang Wen)

What truly transformed the market's customer base and visitor traffic in recent years has been the continued optimization of China's visa-free entry policies. More and more foreign travelers are choosing Shanghai as their first stop in China. As Shanghai accelerates efforts to build itself into an international consumption center, it has become an important shopping destination for tourists from around the world.

Statistics show that Shanghai received about 5.315 million inbound tourist visits in the first half of this year, up 27.82 percent year on year. In the same period, the number of UnionPay transactions by overseas visitors in Shanghai surged 98.6 percent, while transaction value rose 72 percent.

Beyond traditional suits, new Chinese-style custom-made clothing is emerging as another distinctive calling card.

Spanish tourist Alfredo tries on a custom-made suit at a store at the South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market, or the South Bund Custom Tailoring Center, in Shanghai. (People's Daily Online/Wang Chu)

Opened last April on Jiashan Road, just 5 kilometers from the South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market, the Shangjie flagship store — the city's largest new-Chinese-style concept store — offers products such as clothing, fragrances, scarves and traditional Chinese knotted buttons, popular with both domestic and overseas customers, some of whom buy pieces here to resell or bring home for friends and family.

According to Tian Ling, owner of the store, the patterns on new Chinese-style clothing often symbolize good fortune, happiness and good wishes. "The meanings embodied in these patterns reflect a uniquely Chinese sense of romance, which has attracted many foreign customers." The store not only offers an instant tax refund upon purchase service for departing travelers, but has also introduced an airport pickup service this year.

Tian Ling, owner of the Shangjie flagship store, introduces new Chinese-style clothing at the store in Shanghai. (People's Daily Online/Ge Junjun)

This summer's surge in visitors prompted the market to renovate, including new air conditioning throughout, updated lighting, and remodeled restrooms. But the upgrades haven't dulled its character. At Chu Xuehong's store, Tina Suit Custom shop, the walls are covered with handwritten notes from foreign customers, and a hand-drawn five-star review board hangs in the most visible spot in the shop. To her, these notes from visitors are the simplest form of recognition "Shanghai Custom-Made" could ask for.