Fine Chinese wares have been prized around the world since ancient Silk Road times. Today, these exquisite local silks, teas, embroidery, ceramics and herbal potions are being re-imagined and repackaged by resident international designers and emerging local talents.

Ba Yan Ka La
Championing pure ingredients and Chinese wisdom, Ba Yan Ka La was founded by Frenchman Jean Zimmerman, a former Lane Crawford General Manager who has lived in China for 15 years. Formulated by a U.S. dermatologist along with several Chinese herbalists, the five product lines use all-natural, native ingredients – like Chinese mulberry, licorice, goji berry and lotus seed – along with pure water from the source of the Yellow River, high in the mountains of Qinghai province. Products for men and women range from cleansing gels and body milks to leg relief balm and deep nourishing hair paste, and the fresh, organic packaging takes its cue from Chinese culture without resorting to cliche.
Suite B1-b, Ferguson Lane, 376 Wukang Lu (6126 7600)

Shokay
Shokay weaves style and social conscience in a range of beautiful yak down knits, as soft as the finest cashmere or alpaca. The Shanghai-based company was founded by two Harvard graduates as a cutting-edge test case for social entrepreneurship in a Chinese context. They source the hand-combed yak fibres from Tibetan herders and employ knitters on Chongming Island, a farming community just offshore from Shanghai. The luxury fibres are woven into a range of sumptuous home accessories, including scarves, baby gear and knitting yarn in stylish colours like ‘Himalayan Sunset’ and ‘Nocturne’.
(Available online at www.shokay.com)

Madame Mao’s Dowry
A charmingly curated selection of original 1950’s ‘Maomorabilia’, including propaganda posters, photographs and statues of Mao, along with capsule collections of clothing and accessories by influential local designers. The result is both a one-stop shop for fashionable mementos and an intriguing insight into the foundations of contemporary design in China.
207 Fumin Lu (5403 3551)

Suzhou Cobblers
Remembering the colourful slippers her grandmother used to wear, graphic designer Denise Huang decided to revamp an ancient tradition and make hand-sewn embroidered silk slides trendy again. Her tiny boutique just back from the Bund showcases intricately made footwear with names like ‘Plum Blossom’ and ‘Propaganda’ in vibrant shades of aqua, mint green and cherry. A few doors down, her new shop Pattern features funky patterned textiles, baby gear and whimsical silk lanterns.
Rm 101, 17 Fuzhou Lu (6321 7087)

Song Fang
Frenchwoman Florence Samson quit her job as General Manager of Veuve Clicquot in Shanghai to concentrate on another celebrated tipple – tea. Bringing tea to China may seem an odd concept but Samson was eager to promote a renaissance in the art of tea amongst Shanghai’s younger generation. On the menu at her airy three-storey Maison de Thé in a renovated French Concession lane house is a selection of 40 different Chinese teas and 20 aromatic French blends. You can purchase the beautifully packaged Song Fang leaves and tea sets, too. Which is just as well because the classy aqua pots emblazoned with retro propaganda art are so swish, you’ll want to take them home – for tea.
227 Yongjia Lu (6433 8283)