Feel Shanghai is a self-made studio, which specializes in designing and tailoring Chinese costumes like Qipao and Mianao (padded Chinese jacket).

Located in the embassy district, the shop has a wealth of experience catering to foreign tourists and expats. Their customers shop there for their unique and high-class Chinese costumes.

The process is simple. First, go to the shop to get yourself measured and pay the deposit. You may use one of many pattern shown at the shop, but also add your own designs or embroidery. An experience tailor in Shanghai, the origin of Qipao apparel, will then make your clothes. A simple Qipao will take seven days to finish, but Qipao with complex embroidery may take more than 20 days.

Ms Li, the owner of the shop proudly showed me one piece of Qipao. "Dazi embroidery skill is used to embroider the peony here. It gives the flowers a three-dimensional feel. The expert skill required to make this flower is rarely seen in China now, and so the Qipao costs 6900 RMB"

Note that prices are negotiable, so be sure to bargain.

What I Appreciate:
unique and high-class Chinese costumes

What Customer Appreciate:
unique and high-class Chinese costumes,oversea shipment

If you have trouble finding the perfect pair of shoes, An De Li Si store on the fourth floor of 3.3 shopping mall can help you. With the help of their expert shoemakers, you will have a pair of shoes with the perfect fit in your favorite design.

The store displays more than 100 samples designsfrom which you can choose from. If none of the samples appeal to you, feel free to provide your own design for them to use. Once you’ve chosen the design and material, the sales person will take detailed measurements of your feet, and the shoemaker will make a pattern for you to try on, in order to customize precisely to your feet. After that, simply wait for your shoes to be ready. The process will take 15 to 30 days to make. So try to schedule the tailoring accordingly.

Since the shoes are entirely handmade, expect to pay a fair penny. Most shoes cost RMB 1,500-3,000 per pair, depending on the design. An shoe care and repair service is also available for RMB 200 per year. The salespeople can speak basic English, so the simple conversation is not a problem.

What I appreciate

Quality handmade shoes

What customers appreciate

Nice selection of designs and materials

It is hard not to notice the beautiful Rouge Baiser Elise shop when hanging out at Sanlitun Xiwujie. Its eye-catching window showcases delicate embroidered linen tunics, bedspreads and pajamas, which simply begs for a closer look. And a closer look I got.

Owned and ran by Parisian Elise de St. Guilhem, Rouge Beiser Eilse specializes in traditional French embroidered art for their linen bed sheets, napkins, and tablecloths. Miss Guilem opened her first Chinese shop in Shanghai in 2003. It was such a success that she brought these arts to Beijing last year.

Amazingly, the owner designed all of the bed sheets herself, based on her grandmother's patterns. Of course, she made some changes to suit the Chinese tastes, with touches like embroidered dragonflies and lotus flowers. The result is something truly unique.

Also be sure not to miss her stylish baby collection, which includes sleeping bags, baby clothes, and children's bedding.

These delicate clothes and home accessories do not come cheap. A pillow costs RMB 220. A sleeping sack for infants under six months sells for RMB 450.A pair of ladies pajamas will cost you RMB 350-400.

What I appreciate

The dedicated embroidered bedspreads

What customers appreciate

Traditional French embroidered art