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As it was in the time of the Silk Road, Chengdu, the massive capital of Sichuan Province, is a shopping mecca—these days because of a proliferation of innovative fashion and design spaces. Gleaming shopping malls sit beside converted Qing-dynasty-era factories that now peddle cutting-edge streetwear. Tiny storefronts in mostly residential neighborhoods sell ceramic tea sets and bespoke paper fans. But history is everywhere, from Song Xian Qiao Art City, one of China’s largest antiques markets, in central Chengdu, to the eternally cool Temple House, with its contemporary black-and-cream rooms and suites, in the Jinjiang District. It overlooks Taikoo Li, a shopping haven for both homegrown and international designers and a destination unto itself.
Tibetan and Mao-era objects on display at Song Xian Qiao Art City
Chris Schalkx
Chengdu’s Anshun Bridge
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Next gen
The Cosmo mall is an eight-story jumble of pint-size boutiques that carry some of China’s most promising talent. Be sure to visit the streetwear brand Randomevent; the Beijing-born label Yoikadakada, which produces punk-inspired, elaborately silhouetted clothes; and the Location concept store, a cornucopia of Y2K-era secondhand finds. At Lanqing Pang’s Vapour Blue, seek out gender-neutral cuts referencing qipao dresses and silver jewelry by store manager Xing Yulei.
Eastern Suburb Memory’s brick exterior
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Aaron Lee, the shop manager at L0cat10n concept store
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Cabinet of curiosities
Song Xian Qiao Art City market draws shoppers for traditional art, one-off curios, vintage Mao-era paraphernalia, bronze Buddhist figurines, and mammoth porcelain vases. The second floor is filled with shoebox-size ateliers where artists create works of calligraphy on paper and hand-carved stamps from jade; come weekends, the courtyard echoes with click-clacking mah-jongg tiles as sellers load their foldout tables with Tibetan prayer beads, family heirlooms, and rare stones.
An illustrator working in her studio at Song Xian Qiao Art City
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The light-filled House of Elements
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Hiding in plain sight
Sandwiched between auto shops in southern Chengdu, a nondescript residential building contains the House of Elements, an airy natural-wine bar, teahouse, and concept store. Browse its selection of handmade clothes and accessories from Chinese ateliers, including buttery leather footwear by Heng Shu; monochrome womenswear by Zhang Da; and cloud-soft knitwear spun from Tibetan yak khullu (down wool) by Norlha, a textile workshop in the Gannan prefecture.
Minimalist to the max
Inside the boutique Vapour Blue
Chris Schalkx
