Sutterwitz

My Mother, daughter and I are travelling to China this October with a tour group and the one thing--the only thing!-- my Husband wants is a Silk Smoking Jacket. He won't be with us so made to measure isn't an option and we're on a tight schedule so I won't be able to return to a store repeatedly.
Can anyone recommend a good shop with silk jackets available off the rack? Or a tailor that I could email and get something going in advance???
We'll be in Beijing and Shainghai...
Ideally (hate to post this in a community of strangers) he wants one with a big emboridered dragon on the back.... Judge! Judge away!
Thanks in advance,
Regards,
Evie

Kathie

Which cities are you visiting?

peterad

welcome to the board Mrs. Hefner!

Shanghainese

Not easy to find real silk, but if you could settle for less, and something like a bath robe that Bruce Lee would wear, your tour guide or hotel front desk can direct you to stores in both Beijing and Shanghai.

ekscrunchy

If this were me, I would take an old jacket of husband's with me and have something copied. Bring a photo of what you want.

There are streets lined with shops selling silk garments in the Luwan area of Shanghai but if you want a western-style smoking jacket, one without a Mandarin collar, I think you should plan to have it made.

Your hotel can find you a tailor, or you can find one yourself by looking in the Luxe (or another) guide (let me know which cities you are visiting and I will see if I can find some info; I used a tailor in Beijing and have the info in my trip report..there are also mentions of tailors on the expat forums)

marmot

Try Shanghai Tang: Chinese inspiration for Western tastes. Not sure about the big embroidered dragon but they do carry an assortment of silk jackets in vibrant colors.

If you can stand the music on their website you can contact them and ask about your husband's request.
http://www.shanghaitang.com/

PeterN_H

Almost any mass market tourist or expat mall in Beijing will have something along the lines you describe. Otherwise:

Beijing Silk Store (谦袢益) in Zhu Bao Jie on the west side of the northernmost end of Qian Men Dajie, Beijing. Or, just round the corner in Dazhalan Jie (also known as Dashilanr), Ruifuxiang (瑞蚨祥) which also now has a branch in Wangfu Jing Dajie.

Peter N-H

ekscrunchy

A traditional smoking jacket has lapels and often a shawl collar. It is not so easy to find those in the shops mentioned, in my own limited experience.

Shanghai Tang has beautiful clothing, but most jackets there will cost upwards of $400US.

Sutterwitz

Peterad, thank you for making me laugh!
Yes, I will be looking for a traditionally styled one.
thank you all for the leads!!
Regards,
Evie