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Future of Retail – and fun – in Shanghai

I went to Shanghai in China to hold seminar about the topic “future of retail” and I took this opportunity to look around in Shanghai for new retail thoughts and inspiration. Here are my conclusions. Places mentioned in the text…

October 17, 2024

Trendstefan

About Stefan Nilsson

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My report from retail and shopping in Shanghai.

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Starting this day with a seminar on the future of the convenience store (and gas station).

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Report from Interior Lifestyle Fair in Shanghai.

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@interiorlifestylechina @messefrankfurtsverige @messefrankfurt

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Finally home to this. Puppy love Juli.

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I am so glad I found time to go to Jing’An Sculpture Park. I guess it’s normally not on someone’s to do-list but absolutely worth. Huge park in the center of Shanghai. New installations every year. Beautiful, free of charge and absolutely worth going.

And this is the end for my Shanghai trip. Back to Europe. This weekend it is time for Dutch Design Week and Eindhoven.

#shanghai

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Today was ”Art Day” in Shanghai. Did three proper museums and the plastic exhibition you saw in previous post.

After K11 I took a taxi to West Bund. Everything looks super close on a map back in Stockholm. It’s not.

I started at West Bund Museum that is a subsidiary of Centre Pompidou. A bit disappointed at the exhibition.

Then on to Long Museum. OMG. Perhaps the nicest architecture for a museum I have ever seen. Also nice exhibition.

After walking a million miles I ended up at Power Station Art. An exhibition on Chanel. And a generation of new curators. Loved the artist who took old Buddha statues and used photoshop to make their faces look ”normal”. But why can’t a fashion exhibition ever be critical???? It’s just nice pieces on display. What about Chanel as a nazi collaborator? Or pieces that flopped? Every time someone does a fashion exhibition it’s like we have to write their success story. There are more layers!!!

But museums in Shanghai are excellent in general. And walking the West Bund was fantastic. People were having tents, playing with kids and just hanging out. Great spot.

#shanghai
@westbundmuseum @thelongmuseum
@powerstationofart

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One of the coolest museum buildings I have ever been to. Long Museum, Shanghai.

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Loved the interactivity at West Bund Art. Exhibition ”so so” but fun activity at the end.

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Shopping and art at mall K11.
#shanghai

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Shopping and art at mall K11. Good to see some Swedish representation with Yoyo Nasty. Last two pictures are hers. @yoyo_nasty #shanghai

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Bumped in with Andreas, head designer at H&M China and responsible for the collection I showed the other day. He said ”you have to go and see Anfu Road”. And it is an ”influencer street”. Mobile phones everywhere and very fashion forward. Fun. One of the stores I had googled at home was Deja Vu. Three floors of second hand and vintage. And look at that beautiful book room. Loved this. Don’t miss Anfu Road. Great peoplewatching.

#shanghai @andreasloewenstam

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Pooooh… back at hotel. Saw three new design districts and was amazed. It is basically impossible to do a retail tour like this with out help. Thank you all at Messe Frankfurt China.

First picture is from the new department store Hai550 (opened in August, if I’m not mistaken).

After the tour I continued on my own at Xintiandi and French Concession - but we’ve seen it all before.

I will give my impressions a bit of thinking but it is interesting that you can find Chinese fashion with a sweater for 300 euro and an independent label for 30 euro. There is room for both.

Oh, and repair is getting big here too. Yay.

#shanghai #retail @citr @interiorlifestylechina

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Just some snapshots from the day. It was amazing to see how much attention the old couple got in picture nine. Yes, sculptures. But very real.

And picture eleven and twelve are perfumes. ”Frozen eyelash” and ”Fear nothing”. Amazing.

Oh, and picture seven - yes, a gym made of croissants…

#shanghai #retail

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Besides looking at super funky stores in Shanghai I am also looking at some great sustainable shopping. Love the concept of ”Old Outfit of the Day”.
#shanghai #retail

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Looking at retail in Shanghai.

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Walking around in Shanghai. Main stop was M50, the art space with perhaps 20-30 different kinds of galleries. I met a lady who said ”it is soooo different from before pandemic”. And I guess it’s true. A bit more touristic, but still ok. Worth the trip.

But also passing by a jade Buddha temple. I just found it funny to see all the signs saying pets are welcome. Why not in a Christian church? Anyway. Cuuuuute.

And a guy selling a dead turtle (tortoise??). Pic 8. Not cute.

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Gallery space M50 in Shanghai

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Interior Lifestyle Fair in Shanghai. About 200 exhibitors. Perhaps the most beautiful venue I have seen.

Fun and quirky design. Picture 8 is silver and miniature pieces from rooms. Look at the socket!!! Fun.

And beautiful bamboo work from Taiwan. Picture 7.

Also my Swedes represented. From Hinza to Transparent Speaker and Rörstrand tableware.

And today I will do my second talk here on the future of retail.

@interiorlifestylechina @messefrankfurtsverige @messefrankfurt

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H&M is launching a new collab ONLY AVAILABLE in Shanghai. Fun.

Garçon by Garçon for H&M

#shanghai

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Good morning Shanghai.

@interiorlifestylechina @messefrankfurtsverige @messefrankfurt

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Two fairs closing their January edition. Who is next? Stockholm? Formland? Formex?

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Newsletter for October. Link in bio. Or sign up here: letter@trendstefan.se

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AD.
A few more weeks until Orgatec (@orgatec), the largest design and furniture fair before Christmas. I will be there. Will you? I am at Orgatec to look at new and interesting design in contract furniture and office space. Some of my favourite brands are here, like Muuto, Dedon and Pedrali. And of course my Swedes like Blå Station, Johanson Design and Kinnarps. I expect to see colours, shapes and happy stuff.

I am booked to do a seminar on the Happy Office on Thursday October 24th. I asked AI to make two images of people working at a happy office. These are the first two images here. Personally I prefer the fairy tale office in the first picture. Come hear me talke more about happiness and design in Cologne.

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Going on national radio again today. Will happen every other week. So today and next time in two weeks.

Today I will talk about pattern of the season - chequered. Last year we saw stripes and now we a new level of chequered pattern. In stores now.

10.30 at Sveriges Radio P4.

Tags in pictures.