First published on 27 May 2011. Updated on 15 Jun 2011.
Chic design collections from Korea and Taiwan
You get three boutiques in one at 205 Boutique, a new three-storey ‘concept store’ on Nanchang Lu, which houses some of the city’s choicest Korean and Taiwanese collections.
The crumbling brick walls of the boutique's French Concession villa are whitewashed and the creaking floorboards exposed in places, revealing deep brown oak. This gives the space an antiquated-but-chic vibe, helped along by the warped wooden tables and peeling-paint frame mirrors propped against the walls. A scattering of fashion magazines, fabric-covered notebooks (162RMB) and vintage jewellery makes things feel suitably arty.
The space is divided between three brands – Mocavanzaghi, Roommate and I Prefer. The first two split the ground floor while the latter is housed upstairs. Entering the boutique, you are greeted by the nostalgic prints of Mocavanzaghi, a Taipei-based label whose designs have a vintage influence.
The collection is very affordable – a gorgeous mint green pleated shift dress goes for 568RMB, while a selection of pretty poplin shirts are around 400RMB each. Checks, polka dots and pastels abound, but our favourite pieces are those in quirky prints, such as the 1970s floral playsuit that looks so retro we asked if the fabric itself was vintage (it’s not).
Taking up the back section of the ground floor is Roommate, an eclectic mix of imports from Japan and Korea, with a men's tailoring service to boot. Much of the collection features the relaxed silhouette that's common in Korean fashion, such as the flouncy cornflower polka dot dress (720RMB) with swishy pleated skirt. Another hit are the fine knits from Korean brand Colorpaper de story – they have a range of very ‘now’ tangerine shades, with a petite cardigan (450RMB) making a good summer cover-up.
Menswear designer Fleur de Soleil (originally from Korea, now in Shanghai) provides a very reasonable custom-made shirt service (495RMB/shirt), with plenty of fabrics to choose from. We adore his range of ties (388RMB) – slightly preppy prints are juxtaposed with funky colours; think crests on lemon silk.
Upstairs is the slightly pricier collection from I Prefer – womenswear designed and made in Taiwan. The collection is more subdued than the ones downstairs, with stone, sea-grey and browns dominating the palette. Silhouettes are loose with unexpected bunching, such as the calf-length black skirt (1,088RMB) or screen-printed kaftan-style shirt (888RMB) with gathered waistline. Some hand-dyed silk scarves (628RMB) add a splash of colour to the otherwise earthy collection.
Nicola Davison
English address 205 Nanchang Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu, Luwan district
Chinese address 卢湾区南昌路205号, 近沙安西南麓