TREND SPARK!

By Alexandra Suhner, London Editor | Week 28 | 04.11.2008

I have just come back from a week in China, with visits to Shanghai and Wuhan (China's eighth biggest city.) The trip was overwhelming, and an unforgettable experience. Taking photos wasn't always that easy, but here are a few tips for anyone wanting to shop in China. I'll soon tell you more about the competition I was involved in.

China Spark!

If you are a US size 6 (UK size 4) or larger, forget it.

The most common shoe sizes in China are 36 and 37 (equivalent to US 4 and 5) and despite many shoe stores, we were unable to find anything in a larger size.

Same goes for bra sizes, I didn't even see a C cup.

Many of the markets selling fake accessories also have clothing stores, which, surprisingly, sell some very beautiful pieces.

Although they are probably inspired from runway collections, they are certainly not copies, and we bought several great dresses and tops, all very on-trend. There is also a lot of traditional Chinese clothing, which makes for some great loungewear pieces, just make sure to try and find silk ones.

Photo courtesy of www.thisnext.com

Many of the markets selling fake accessories also have clothing stores, which, surprisingly, sell some very beautiful pieces.

Although they are probably inspired from runway collections, they are certainly not copies, and we bought several great dresses and tops, all very on-trend. There is also a lot of traditional Chinese clothing, which makes for some great loungewear pieces, just make sure to try and find silk ones.

P.S. Content labels mean nothing in China, so don't trust them. If you like the feel of the fabric, go for it. And use the smelling test on leather, and the scraping test on pearls.

Photo courtesy of www.greengirlsglobal.com