First published on 10 Aug 2011. Updated on 26 Nov 2011.
Fumin Lu is rapidly becoming the go-to street for homegrown designers, with new concept store The Hive and Helen Lee’s flagship shop now joined by hot Beijing export Dong Liang Studio. When partners Charles Wang and Ron Nam opened their first boutique back in 2009, the idea of showcasing cutting-edge Chinese design was fairly radical; now, just two years later, demand for independent homegrown fashion is such that it’s spawned a second Beijing store and now one here.
Stunningly set over three floors of a converted lane house, the studio boasts the scrubbed wooden floorboards, whitewashed walls and exposed brickwork that have become Shanghai shorthand for ‘achingly hip’, though a garden, sunny little balcony and resident cat help lend a more relaxed feel. Old fixtures and fittings have been incorporated into the store decor, like the original steel front door (complete with mailbox), which now dangles from the ceiling, neatly bisecting the ground floor collections.
Collections are laid out according to cost. The ground floor houses more affordable designs, starting from around 200RMB. Alongside Shanghai stalwarts Na(too) and Miss Mean, you’ll find Xiamen-based brand Sankuanz, whose ‘Basic’ collection – inspired by factory workers’ uniforms – includes fun, paint-splattered swim shorts (198RMB) and cotton t-shirts with functional pockets (299RMB).
Making her Shanghai debut here is Beijing-based designer and Central St Martins graduate Vega Zaishi Wang, whose striking eveningwear features adorable details like Peter Pan collars, fabric-covered buttons in contrasting colours and quirky brace-style straps. In particular, we love her primly pretty navy and grey silk button-front dress (1,980RMB).
There’s also a good range of accessories, including brands previously only available online, like Gao Yuan’s rough-hewn gold jewellery or Time Out favourite Fan Fan’s boxy leather satchels (760RMB).
A narrow wooden staircase leads to the first floor, past a mini-exhibition of motion-sensitive collages by Shanghai artist Maleonn; in future, this space will be used to showcase independent artwork from galleries in Beijing’s Caochangdi district.
On the first floor itself, the clothes are pricier but no less desirable, with offerings from Zahan Da, creative director of Hermes’ Shang Xia brand, whose ‘Boundless’ collection features stark black, abstract silhouettes, like a fluid dress cut from a single piece of fabric (1,200RMB).
He Yan’s structured pieces are also worth a look, combining traditional Qing dynasty designs with a modern, pared-back finish – think minimalist qipao-inspired dresses and collarless cotton shirts (980RMB), which fasten at the waist for a twist on Western-style tailoring.
The boutique’s standout collection, however, is nestled below the wooden eaves of its loft-level showroom and comes courtesy of new Guangzhou-based label Ricostru. An abbreviation of the Italian for ‘reconstructed’, the name is both a nod to designer Manchit Au’s stint training in Milan and a reflection of the collection’s ethos.
Clothes are designed to be built up in layers, starting with basic jersey items – a bandeaux top (236RMB) and leggings, for example – and adding a diaphanous ‘overlay’ in a contrasting colour, like a cobweb-fine, stretchy knit top (728RMB) or a gossamer-thin silk shift dress (1,380RMB). An understated palette of black, white, dove grey and blush tones makes it easy to mix and match items, and the natural fibres are light and breathable, even when layered up. Ricostru’s dedication to detail is evident in the luxe materials and high quality finish: authentic Italian leather is used to make the gorgeously glossy clutches (1,780-1,980RMB) and the delicate silk dresses are hemmed by hand.
Selena Schleh