And just when you thought Shanghai could not get more peak Gen-Z comes TX Huaihai. Emblazoned with the English ‘Youth Energy Center’ on its façade, the new experiential mall oozes wanghong from top to bottom of its six floors. The tenant list is sharply curated; though TX has been open for more than half a year, the roll out of new shops and restaurants has been slow and deliberate.
Every second step there’s a daka dian (打卡点 or ‘check in spot’ in Chinese internet speak), whether it’s milk tea shop Machi Machi which you have Jay Chou to thank for its endless queue, popular café M Stand with a very Instagrammable edible cookie cup latte or any one of the rotating exhibits with big name international and Chinese artists.
Lu Yang, The Great Adventure of the Material World, 2019, courtesy iag and the artist
On the fashion front, the vibe continues with a large boutique by youth culture brand Innersect, a popup by local streetwear shop DOE and sustainability centre Nikelab Amplifier. Small, open-air shops on the third floor highlight emerging brands while the fourth floor is dedicated to vintage wear.
And to cap this all off? The top floor will be seeing a club in collaboration with Japanese immersive digital artists TeamLab open in autumn.
