Can anyone recommend a good vendor for cashmere sweaters in Shanghai? We want good quality at a bargain, not high-end luxury goods. Thanks

I don't know about Shanghai, but if you don't find any there, then if you're from the U.S., check your local T.J.Maxx store or Macy's around the end of January/beginning of February when cashmere is at very low prices. I've bought high quality, 100% cashmere turtlenecks for $20. or less during that period. I've only worn cashmere for over a decade, so I know where to shop for it here. Happy Travels!

Maybe because I was there in springtime but I did not see loads of cashmere. What I did see did not represent good quality at a bargain. I agree with Shopping Guru Guenmai. If you are from the US, look here first before you wear yourself out in Shanghai. And make certain you can distinguish between cashmere and angora or synthetic blends.

Guenmai- I'm shocked that you only wear cashmere- I would have thought that the only fabric that touched your skin would be Thai Silk!

Bill T darling...My living room drapes are of Thai silk. Cashmere touches my body. Smiles. Happy Travels!

I'm in Shanghai now, most cashmeres are at a bargain but I won't vouch for the quality. For chinese brands, check the department stores such as No.1 on Nanjing Road East or the Ladies Department Store on Huahai Road. On Shanxi Road from Nanjing Road West to Huahai Road are dozens of little stores that sell sweaters. I'm hesitant to talk about it but for faux name brands, I was cold in the rain so I bought a Banana Republic cardigan Made In USA! of acceptable quality for $12. Take Metro #2 to the Science and Tech Museum in Pudong, the majority of the old Xiangyang Market vendors are there. Or behind the Longhua Temple is another group of vendors. Do not go to Chipu Market, it is dirty and seedy.

hi, janeos, strong recommend you to visit Shiliupu fabric market. Numerous cashmere shopping choices.
My friend make skirts in the market with cashmere material last week there.

I cannot stress enough how careful you have to be when buying something like cashmere in the PRC. (Or even the the US, where it is often mislabeled.). Something sold as 100% cashmere may in fact have only 5% cashmere or may have none at all. Remember that there is really no consumer protection in the PRC. There is not much you can do about it once you get it home to the US. If Land's End or Garnet Hill sells you a fake, there is plenty you can do about it, like getting your money back for a start.

I live in Hong Kong and I have been sold fake cashmere for real, and have simply learned over the years that there are not really any bargains in cashmere, even in Asia. You cannot buy a 100% multi-ply cashmere shawl for US$100 or even US$200. At those prices it may have 5% cashmere, it may 10%, it may have none, but it ain't 100%. But if you like it and if it feels nice, and if it looks better and is cheaper than what you can buy in the US, then by all means buy it. Just don't buy the shopkeeper's line that it is 100% cashmere. If I really want to buy a cashmere shawl that is actual cashmere, I go to Lane Crawford, or Pearls and Cashmere if the thinner single-ply Chinese cashmere is what I want. Neither will be really cheap. If I want to buy a fun “pashmina” for US$8, I go to Stanley. There is a time and a place for both, there is nothing wrong with the $8 pashmina, I just don’t pretend it is anything else.

For the feel of really good quality pure cashmere, go to a Loro Piana shop, see http://www.loropiana.com/index_eng.php for locations. (there are two here in Hong KOng if you will be in HOng Kong during your trip.) Then take it from there for comapring quality. Her prices are high, but not really so much for the quality as you will see. It is hard to find the same quality elsehwere. The Chinese cashmere is not the same quality (although she has started making some items with Mongolian cashmere). Land's End, etc sells the thinner Chinese cashmere, perfectly nice, but I don't like it as much, alhtough their prices are good.

The only place I know to buy "cashmere" in Shanghai is Dong Jia Du textile market which sells fabric by the yard. Not sure if that is what you are interested in, but it may be worth a look. It should run about US$20-25 a yard, and I can't vouch that it is 100%. (See even that isn't cheap.)

A tip....but...shh...I was told, by someone in the "J.Crew" industry, that J.Crew uses Loro Piana's cashmere. And J.Crew is a heck of a lot less. I was told that their last year's women's boyfriend cashmere sweaters were of Loro Piana cashmere. I have about 5 of those sweaters. Happy Travels!

But Loro Piona doesn't make her own cashmere, she just designs from very high quality cashmere that she buys from other supplies. Mostly Italian. So it could be that J Crew buys Italian cashmere from the same supplier....bigger volume. Also less ply, from what I have seen of the J Crew cashmere, which is perfectly fine. May also not be 100% but may be a blend.

It was all over the news last year that J. Crew did indeed use Loro Piana cashmere for a couple of their designs. I looked at the sweaters and they were pretty great..reminiscent of Tse..not sure if you have that brand in Asia. Loro Piana is the be all and end all in leather and cashmere, in my opinion. (They do have a great sample sale here in NY once or twice a year and were a decent buy in Italy a few years ago..)

Here is a question for Cicerone: When I made my few trips to HK in the 80s, I had the names of a few shops on Kowloon side..Mongkok is the name, I think..which were located in warehouse buildings. There I remember buying European-made samples that were being sold off after they had been copied in HK. I am talking designer names in leather and wool of very high quality. Does any of that ring a bell and is there such a place now where one can buy these items?

Cicerone...That's what I meant that it's the cashmere that Loro Piana also uses. Happy Travels!

Eskrunchy...The shhh...part in my post was said tongue-in-cheek. I'm sure it was in the news and not top secret or anything. But for those who weren't aware of it, I thought I'd post it. Smiles.

As for the quality of the cashmere, yes Loro Piana is excellent, for those who want to spend around $1,000 or more. But, for those of us who don't...one can easily get excellent cashmere retailed at around $200. Happy Travels!

Guenmai: I want to go shopping with you someday!!!!! Happy travels!!

Many of my friends have me do their shopping for them. They give me a list and I shop, then they write the check. One friend gave me a page long list of items and I found everything in a day and then she wrote me a very large check for the amount. Didn't even bat an eye because she knew that she would have NEVER found all the stuff. Smiles. Happy Travels!

Yes but then we will not have the fun of snooping around and pouncing on all the treasures we find! Or, rather, YOU find! I have read your reports and have no doubt that you are A#1 on the shopping front!! Happy travels! AND Happy Shopping!

BTW, I am headed for Bangkok/LP/VN soon. I think I will start a new shopping thread one of these days. But while I have your attention: I have only 5 nights/4 days in BKK. I would not mind having some silk and/or cotton clothes made..nothing fancy just stuff to knock around in (I am a casual kind of gal) Should I attempt it in BKK or wait until Hanoi/Hoi An? Did you all ever have good luck with having tailor copy photos from a magazine, or do I need to bring the actual items and
have them copied?? I am thinking only of things along the lines of well-tailored slacks and some nice shirts with the frog (braided sillk or made from same silk as the shirt) closures and the high collars..not sure what these are called, Chinese-style? Maybe some tunic tops cut ono the bias in silk??

EK -- I can tell you are a tre chic kind of casual gal!

I have my clothes made at Cotton House in Bangkok which is in the Oriental Place Shopping Arcade one street behind the Oriental Hotel. It's VERY easy to find. Reed, the owner, has opened a new one next door to Tongue Thai restaurant which is on the other street that runs alongside the Oriental Place Shopping Arcade. But, I prefer the one inside the Shopping Arcade as Reed and Da have always been there when I've gone there.

I've found them quite good at really listening and creating the clothes in the way that I have specified or roughly sketched out. I've only experienced one mistake which I didn't catch until the night before I was to leave Bangkok. So, when I got home, I took the garment to my tailor in our downtown L.A. garment district and had him straighten it out. Then when I returned to BKK this past summer I took in a photo of the garment and had the $25.00 that I had to pay for the correction to be deducted from my next batch of clothes.

There is an Asian style top that I have copied over and over, in cotton, with loops as button holes. I have them hand make all the buttons with the leftover fabric.

The Chinese brocade jacket that I wore at my GTG was a close copy...with some changes that I wanted made... of the photo of a jacket that I had torn out of a page of a major department store catelogue. The BIG difference was that the department store wanted nearly $250. or so for theirs which was crap. I went into the store and tried the department store's on before I left. Their fabric was laughable. So, I went to the garment district and bought high qualioty Chinese brocasde for $15.00 a yard and also bought lining and fabric for pants.

I think I paid around $90.00 for the labor and that was for an above knee-length Chinese jacket with matching pants and a matching handbag made from the leftover Chinese brocade fabric. I also had 2-3 fittings.

I did however take my own fabric in since I buy my fabric in the downtown L.A. garment district where there's tons of choice. I'll be back in December taking in some fabric for casual, denim skirts to be made. Something that suits my height...like 25 inches long...and not these hoochie 22-23-inch skirts found in the department stores. Smiles. Happy Travels!

I know it is sweaters you are particularly interested in but as far as quality is concerned I bought a superb quality mens cashmere overcoat in Shanghai 2 years ago at Peoples No.1 Dept Store referred above .It is still wearing well , is cashmere and cost me less than A$200 .The dept store has small individual stores selling goods .I wandered around and looked and compared and asked questions and finally found a very nice lady who happened to speak very good English and was charming and helpful and discounted to the above price . If in doubt look in the rather more select shops in Xintiandi and have a gorgeous meal there as well .One shop there I loved did nothing but hand print on silk the most incredible wall papers and silk fabrics .Bound to be upmarket ladies fashion to compare quality

Guenmai: Well that is a good enough endorsement for me. And yes, S., I am a tres chic casual kind of gal who says NO! NO! NO! to hoochie skirts!

OK, so I go to Cotton House on the first day (are they open Sunday, by the way?) with my photos and/or drawings. But since I do not really have a good fabric source here, what about buying the fabrics at Cotton House? If that is not a good idea, can you give me a one-stop shopping place for fabric? (I thought I would go to Chatuchak market that first day, but not sure if I have patience for serious fabric shopping in steamy heat..) ( I booked Tong for 2 days but I guess it would be a shame to spend the time with her buying fabrics and having fittings...)

What you describe, the long Jacket with pants is exactly the kind of thing I would love! As well as the "Asian" cotton top with the self-closures.

Now I will begin tearing out pics from fashion mags in preparation for the trip...your advice has been amazing, Guenmai. You ought to lead a shopping tour of Asia. I remember a long time ago a post (I think it was yours) about having a handbag made in some out-of-the-way shop near Changi Airport...wonderful stuff.

Many thanks!