This is the place to be if
Being a native doesn’t always mean knowing more about the city than visitors. A few years ago, one of my friends from the Czech Republic recommended the South Bund Soft Spinning Material Market to me. He felt very excited about getting a custom-made suit at a fair price.
For foreign visitors, the market is better-known as the South Bund Fabric Market.
Having the intention of buying a suit, I recently visited the market. Taking Metro Line 4 and getting off at Nanpudaqiao station, I followed a group of foreigners to the market.
Actually, it is not difficult to find the place as a poster featuring a huge Chinese character meaning cloth, and English words “TailorMade” below covered the building’s facade.
Established in 2006, the three-story building houses around 330 stalls selling custom-made suits, dresses, coats, cheongsams, accessories such as belts, scarves and bags, and buttons and clothing fabric of various types.
Before entering the building, I heard that many vendors were hawking their wares and greeted foreign customers by saying “Hello, hello!” and “How are you?”
The market is very international and foreignerfriendly. Every vendor has an English name and more or less speaks English.
Similarly, each store has both a Chinese and an English name, which can be seen on the visiting cards and billboards hung in front of the stalls. Even the plastic bags used by many stalls had “Welcome to Shanghai” written on them.
“The place is not only a trading market but also a tourist attraction and a window to the native people’s life and culture,” said Ji Xiaoyang, owner of the No. 282 stall. His English name is Jason.
Don’t belittle the tailors there as many of them once made clothes for superstars. Some shopkeepers have hung group photos on the walls.
For example, those featuring Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Sylvester Stallone at the No. 138 stall called Tom & Jenny, the former vice president of Colombia at the No.129 stall named Joyce & Rita, and Yao Ming at Jason’s shop.
“There were huge crowds inside and outside the market on the day Djokovic came. A lot of bodyguards and fans followed him. I have received an invitation from Federer who will land in Shanghai next month. In November, I will meet Stallone’s team and take measurements to these 250 people in their hotel. I also made clothes for the American Airline,” Li Xintao, whose English name is Tom, said proudly as he took a magazine from a glass storage cabinet and pointed out the clothes he made.
The cabinet is stuffed with fashion magazines and swatches which customers can leaf through to choose styles and colors. The surface of the cabinet was covered with the visiting cards of the customers whose jobs range from businessmen to diplomatic officials.
I dropped by Li’s store when Li was taking the measurements of a foreigner named Matt from Chicago. Li kept speaking English with Matt though he had a strong accent.
“When will you ‘pick off’ the clothes?” Li asked Matt three times. Finding that Matt couldn’t understand his words, Li asked “When will you leave Shanghai” instead.
Matt was staying in Shanghai for just three days. On the recommendation of his friend, he was visiting the market on the first day. He ordered a suit, and several pants and shirts from Li. Three days seemed to be too short to customize clothes but nothing is impossible here.
“They will be ready for alterations tomorrow afternoon,” Li said confidently.
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