Shanghai Lady Fashion Department Store, a landmark in the city’s retail landscape, reopened last month with a new look. The department store first opened in 1956, housed in a building completed in 1930. While visitors have flocked to the renovated establishment, some of its most dedicated customers aren’t totally satisfied with the makeover.
The most significant change is the business’s name. Previously known as Shanghai Lady Fashion Department Store (上海妇女用品商店 Shànghǎi fùnǚ yòngpǐn shāngdiàn), its new name is the Chinese-English hybrid, “Lady淮海” (Lady Huáihǎi). The new moniker reflects its location on Huaihai Road, a bustling commercial hub. In recent years, other newly opened or renovated malls on Huaihai Road have adopted “Huaihai” in their names to emphasize their local brand identity, for example HAI550, which opened in August.
However, the name change has been criticized by some visitors, especially older local patrons who were loyal customers of the Shanghai Lady Fashion Department Store for decades.
During renovations, the site’s well-designed construction barrier became a popular spot for photo-taking. Photo via Xiaohongshu.
Shanghai Lady Fashion Department Store was more than just a place to go shopping: it is part of the city’s culture, and was a symbol of modernity and sophistication from the 1950s through to the 1990s, when brick and mortar retail boomed in Shanghai and the department store arguably reached the peak of its popularity.
In the past, it was common for young couples to visit Huaihai Road, where women would shop inside the building while men waited outside, chatting and smoking. This phenomenon was described with the saying “women go inside, men wait outside” (女同志往里厢轧，男同志立外头等 nǚ tóngzhì wǎng lǐ xiāng zhà, nán tóngzhì lì wàitou děng).
Though the department store’s original name already contained “Lady” in its English translation, the Chinese term used, 妇女 (fùnǚ), more directly translates as “women” and carries feminist connotations. In contrast, for some netizens, the direct use of “Lady” in the new name suggests a more restrictive version of femininity shaped by the male gaze.
Beyond the name change, the new merchandise inside the department store has sparked further criticism. Although the store’s primary customer base remains its older regulars, now mostly over 50, the mall now features several young, trendy brands. In an incident recounted by Shanghai media company Xinmin Evening News, one middle-aged woman asked a sales assistant why they were now selling men’s clothes in a store traditionally meant for women. The sales assistant explained the concept of unisex fashion, but the customer couldn’t grasp the idea.
Additionally, prices for a piece of clothing can now range from 600 to 3,000 RMB, making them unaffordable for many older shoppers. And while opening a café is usually a sure bet for Chinese malls and department stores, apparently one auntie has complained that the aroma from Lady Huaihai’s four cafés is too strong for her to handle.
The building now hosts international brands like Spain’s Desigual and American outdoor brand Gramicci. Photo via eastday.
As such, Lady Huaihai hasn’t received the warmest welcome yet. However, its efforts to attract new customers are worth noting. Even before the renovation, the department store showed an awareness of the potential of mixed-use spaces, for example staging an art exhibition in the building’s windows. Now plans are afoot to turn these same windows into backdrops for livestreams promoting beauty products. But whether or not Lady Huaihai can attract new customers — while retaining the trust of its old ones — remains to be seen.
Cedar Kitchen, located on Julu Road in Shanghai, is becoming an increasingly important venue for independent culture in the city. This may come as a slight surprise, as when it opened around Christmas in 2023, the business primarily functioned as a Lebanese bistro.
With an experienced chef from Dubai, Cedar brings a fresh take on food from Lebanon and the rest of the SWANA (Southwest Asia and North Africa) region to Shanghai.
But the space is about more than just food: it shares music, art, and a community-driven ethos.
For example, this February Cedar expanded its coffee service by introducing the Neapolitan tradition of “suspended coffee” to Shanghai. The practice encourages customers to purchase an extra coffee for someone in need, reflecting a spirit of sharing.
Starting off slowly at first, the space now regularly hosts musical events. From DJs to dancers, if you head to a party at Cedar you’ll recognize familiar faces from underground clubs like ALL Club and the now-closed Elevator. For its parties, Cedar expands beyond its cramped café-kiosk into the adjoining business: a garage. The resulting atmosphere — dancing on rubber floor pads next to car parts — is unlike any other venue in Shanghai.
Back in the café, Cedar’s street side DJ equipment is open to all during business hours, giving budding DJs a chance to practice.
A new cocktail experience is provided through a VR helmet. Image Photo via Cedar.
New experiments are constantly happening at Cedar, in the form of workshops and performances. Want a cocktail? You might encounter it in Cedar’s XR (extended reality) world. Concerned about internet data security? Cedar provides space for people to share files via hard disks. Open jam sessions, readings, and improvised PPT-sharing nights are all regular occurrences at Cedar. The events welcome newcomers while embracing mistakes and happy accidents, the goal simply being to share experiences and resources.
Flea markets and live DJ performances all take place in the garage. Image via Xiaohongshu.
Increasingly, Cedar is looking out beyond the café and the garage next door. In early October, they organized an event at the larger-scale Shanghai club System, featuring Copenhagen-born Kurdish artist Muskila. A few days later, they presented a “city run” urban street game, encouraging participants to experience Shanghai’s urban space from a different perspective. Cedar has also hosted a two-day auction to raise money to help a young Palestinian woman and her family evacuate from Gaza.
Cedar’s charity auction in support of a Palestinian refugee also featured a lineup of local DJs. Image via Cedar.
What makes Cedar unique is its openness and seamless fusion of global culture. Less business-driven than other Shanghai venues, the space draws people into its community by encouraging playful, conscious engagement with the world. Here’s looking forward to what emerges from Cedar next!
A crowded neighborhood that was demolished 30 years ago is currently the hottest topic in Hong Kong. Thanks to the Oscar-nominated film Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, which has grossed over 900 million HKD (around 116 million USD) so far, Kowloon Walled City is back in the spotlight. The excitement is palpable, with life-size replicas of iconic spots once housed in the area, like hair salons and cha chaan tengs, now featured in the city’s airport. The Walled City’s aesthetic has even inspired a wave of ads, including Uber Hong Kong commercials starring one of the film’s protagonists, Louis Koo Tin-lok.
Kowloon Walled City was a densely populated settlement that originated as an Imperial Chinese military fort and became notorious for its ostensibly lawless, ungoverned condition during the British colonial period. It housed around 35,000 residents at its peak, in living conditions that were often cramped and unhygienic, ultimately leading to its demolition between 1993 and 1994.
But what was it really like to live in this dense urban enclave?
RADII chatted with renowned Canadian photographer Greg Girard, whose stunning images from the late 1980s and early 1990s offer an unfiltered snapshot into the lives of those who called this generally misunderstood place home.
During the mid-1980s, before the age of the internet made information readily accessible, Girard stumbled upon the enigmatic Walled City, a place that was shrouded in mystery and intrigue. While photographing near Kai Tak Airport, he was captivated by the low-flying planes that would make their final approach over the rooftops of nearby buildings. One night, he turned a corner and discovered that he had stumbled into the Walled City — a labyrinth of narrow dark alleyways and densely packed structures. In stark contrast, the surrounding area of Kowloon City sprawled with its orderly new buildings and wider streets.
West Side Street with overhead pipes, 1990. Image by Greg Girard, courtesy Blue Lotus Gallery. An airplane glides above the Kowloon City skyline as it approaches the now-closed Kai Tak Airport, 1989. Image by Greg Girard. Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024)film cover. Image via World Film Geek.
Reflecting on his first encounter with Kowloon Walled City, the photographer highlighted the stark contrast between Tokyo and Hong Kong in the early 1980s. While Tokyo was a vibrant and cosmopolitan metropolis, Hong Kong was still navigating its path toward modernization and had a less developed urban landscape.
He recalls a sense of disconnection in Hong Kong, which was not yet the modern metropolis it would soon become. As Lui Tai-lok, honorary professor in sociology at Hong Kong Baptist University, points out in the photography book City of Darkness Revisited (featuring shots by Girard andfellow photographer Ian Lambot), Kowloon Walled City was “triply neglected by London, Beijing, and Hong Kong itself.” Forced to become a self-sustaining microcosm, the Walled City developed a unique identity, a testament to resilience in the face of abandonment.
Despite initial hostility from locals toward outsiders — not least of all photographers — Girard persevered, driven by a desire to capture the authentic essence of life within the Walled City. Rather than showing its appearance in a gritty manner, he aimed to portray a more neutral perspective, illuminating the humanity of its residents through well-lit portraits and thoughtful compositions.
Tung Tau Tsuen Road in the Walled City, 1987. Image by Greg Girard, courtesy Blue Lotus Gallery.Noodle factory and family residence, 1989. Image by Greg Girard.A man relaxes on a rooftop, 1989. Image by Greg Girard.
He explored the unique structures and microcosms of daily life, challenging preconceived notions of the Walled City as merely a crime-ridden slum. “I wanted to show the way it was,” he explained intently in his dimly lit studio, emphasizing his commitment to authenticity in his work.
Inside the Kowloon Walled City, life was often misconceived as chaotic and dangerous, but Girard discovered a different reality. Officially beginning his documentation in 1987, he found that the Walled City resembled any other working-class neighborhood in Hong Kong.
“By the late 1980s, it was probably safer than many housing estates,” he recalls. The notorious reputation for crime, while rooted in some truth, was largely exaggerated. Over time, as the Walled City evolved, its image as a lawless enclave became a stubborn myth, overshadowing the tight-knit community that thrived there.
Girard emphasized that the Walled City functioned more like a village, where residents knew each other and lived side by side. The community consisted of a wide range of people, from unlicensed doctors to sex workers and opium addicts. This multifaceted society shaped the community’s complicated reputation. It was this unique blend of community spirit and urban grit that Girard sought to capture through his camera lens.
One of Girard’s most memorable moments documenting the neighborhood came when he spotted a Cathay Pacific stewardess emerging from a taxi at the Walled City’s edge. Intrigued, he raced to try and capture an image of this urban dweller navigating the maze of alleyways in her red uniform. “It would have been an amazing shot,” he reflected, smiling at the thought of that fleeting moment. Looking back, this missed encounter exemplified the surprising stories and lives interwoven within the Walled City, illustrating that it was not just a backdrop for criminal activity but a vibrant community filled with diverse individuals — each with their own story.
Business as usual for a postman operating in the alleyways (photo taken between 1987 and the early 1990s). Image by Greg Girard.Kowloon Walled City Rooftop (Kai Tak View), 1990. Image by Greg Girard.A café at Tung Tau Tsuen Road in Kowloon Walled City, 1989. Image by Greg Girard.
With the recent buzz surrounding Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, Girard is reminded of how popular culture often distorts the truth. While the film captures the essence of the Walled City, it simplifies a complex reality into a comic book-like story of gangs.
In contrast, the photographer’s work offers a richer narrative, highlighting the resilience and spirit of the people who lived there. Girard noted that the visual aesthetic of the Walled City has influenced not simply other recent films like Lucy, but also video games such as Call Of Duty: Black Ops. “It’s interesting how a place can become better known after it’s gone,” he mused, urging young readers to seek out the real stories behind the myths.
The esteemed photographer also has valuable lessons for young creatives. He stresses the importance of documenting the present, reminding us that these realities which gradually turn into memories, can often become distorted. “The myth becomes more powerful than the truth,” he explained.
Kowloon Walled City Park is the only remnant of the Walled City today. Image via Little Steps Asia.False teeth displayed at a dentist window, 1989. Image by Greg Girard, courtesy Blue Lotus Gallery.Greg Girard. Image via the photographer’s Website.
Girard also highlights the impact of social media on photography, noting that today’s fast-paced landscape can create pressure for quick results. “To do something well or thoroughly can often take time. So given how quickly social media acts and reacts, that can run counter to what’s necessary to get to know a subject and do a project,” he emphasized.
Instead, he encourages aspiring photographers not to shy away from asking questions and engaging with their subjects. “Photography is about demonstrating your interest and care,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of embracing uncertainty and allowing time during the creative process.
The role of technology is increasingly prevalent in our daily lives, shaping how creatives can develop their crafts and learn about the rich histories of places. Girard asserts that, although Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support photographers, it cannot replace the human touch. Photography, he believes, thrives on creatives showing up at locations themselves, and seeking from consent from the individuals who are the subjects of their images.
This human connection empowers photographers to capture authentic moments that technology has yet to replicate. Ultimately, Girard encourages young creatives to immerse themselves in their surroundings and engage with stories of places. Long-term, considered exploration of misunderstood communities like Kowloon Walled City can foster deeper connections, further enhancing the significance of their work.
Banner image of the Kowloon Walled City by Greg Girard, 1987.
Moncler’s “The City of Genius” event, held on October 19, 2024, marked the grand finale of Shanghai Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025. This event, which emphasized reigniting the creative genius in everyone, brought together a fusion of fashion, art, and entertainment across 30,000 square meters at the CSSC Pavilion on the Huangpu River waterfront, showcasing a variety of immersive experiences and co-creations from a global lineup of visionaries.
Renowned Chinese artist Xu Bing played a central role in “The City of Genius,” connecting its theme with his distinctive calligraphy art. Upon entering the venue, guests were welcomed by an archway installation designed by Xu, setting the tone for the immersive creative experience that unfolded throughout the evening. Speaking about his work during an interview at the event, Xu explained, “It’s like the real city we lived in is condensed. The creativity of the city is condensed inside this evening’s event.” He further elaborated on his artistic process, saying, “I used four words to explain the concept of the ‘The City of Genius.’ I used English but written in Chinese style… it has this culture and this feeling of shuttling with each other,” highlighting the fusion of cultural elements within the event.
As part of a broader Moncler campaign highlighting the importance of preserving creativity throughout life, a short film was directed by acclaimed Hong Kong photographer and filmmaker Wing Shya. Starring Chinese singer Leah Dou, a Moncler global brand ambassador, the film chronicled her journey from childhood to adulthood, showcasing her efforts to maintain her creative spirit while navigating life’s challenges.
Campaign picture featuring Leah Dou in front of Xu’s “The City of Genius” calligraphy. Photography by Wing Shya, via Dazed.
The event was star-studded, attracting celebrities from around the world. Famous icons like Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, American actress Anne Hathaway, Korean idol Yeonjun from the group TXT, Hong Kong–Taiwanese actress and model Shu Qi, and Hong Kong actor, singer, songwriter Nicholas Tse attended, making the event a true blend of global talent. Chinese celebrities, including actor Jiang Qiming, also graced the occasion, further amplifying its cultural significance.
Adding to the vibrant atmosphere, Henry Lau, the popular Chinese-Canadian actor and singer, delivered a dynamic musical performance that captivated the audience. His performance, along with the star power present at the event, underscored Moncler’s aim of merging art, music, and fashion.
Moncler’s “The City of Genius” also featured works from other global creatives like Hiroshi Fujiwara, Willow Smith, Chinese multidisciplinary artist Lulu Li, Rick Owens, Jil Sander, and British editor and stylist Edward Enninful. The event was live streamed across multiple platforms, reaching a wider audience beyond the 8,000 guests that attended in-person.
The Brooklyn Nets’ new Chinese player Cui Yongxi (also known as Jacky Cui) turned heads in the team’s recent preseason win over the Washington Wizards, demonstrating why he’s one of the most exciting young talents to watch in the NBA. Wearing No. 8 on his jersey — a number he chose for its significance as a lucky number in Chinese culture — Cui seized the moment when head coach Jordi Fernandez gave him his first NBA minutes at home. The 21-year-old made the most of it, delivering an amazing performance with a late-game three-pointer that had fans and teammates on their feet, showcasing his potential and readiness for bigger responsibilities. “I had nothing in my mind. When I’m open, I just shoot straight to the hoop. Score or not, it didn’t matter because I was focused on the game with my teammates on defense,” Cui explained via the New York Post.
Cui’s Brooklyn Nets teammate Cam Thomas spoke highly of his impact on the game via Vavel, saying, “Everybody was lit. It’s definitely good because everybody can see that we all like each other and want to see each other succeed. No matter who it is. That’s something that Coach Jordi Fernandez has been preaching to us — just being together as a team and that is helping us create relationships with each other.” Coach Fernandez echoed these sentiments, noting how happy the team was for Cui and emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships within the squad.
Cui in action against Taylor Funk of the Washington Wizards. Image via 左右为篮.
The game concluded as a 131-92 victory for the Nets, with Cui scoring five points and grabbing one rebound in the last minutes of the game. His potential didn’t go unnoticed by fans, who couldn’t help but compare him to former Nets sharpshooters, with one Instagram user, hangry.insomniac, commenting, “Joe Harris replacement? Yuta Watanabe successor?” The buzz surrounding his performance signals that expectations are growing for the young player as the regular season approaches. Another Instagram user, _kidfrom, expressed the growing excitement around Cui, commenting, “He’s gonna need more minutes 🔥🔥,” emphasizing the rising demand for him to see more court time.
Fans and analysts are eagerly looking ahead, excited to see how Cui’s role evolves with the Brooklyn Nets. His ability to stay calm under pressure, combined with his sharp shooting and team-oriented mindset, signals a bright future. The preseason has given a glimpse of what he’s capable of, and with the regular season just around the corner, the expectations are high.
Jellycat, a UK-based plush toy brand, has captivated the Chinese market with an ingenious combination of plush toys and immersive marketing. One of its most successful promotions is a Shanghai pop-up café which opened in late September, where celebrities like Song Yuqi, a Beijing-born member of K-pop group (G)I-DLE, posed as a café staff member for a day, creating a fan frenzy. What makes Jellycat’s marketing truly unique is how it appeals to adults, tapping into their emotional connection to childhood nostalgia. This blend of childhood comfort and modern experiences has created a craze for plush toys among grown-ups.
The Shanghai café, designed to resemble a pastel-toned bakery, features influencers and regular staff dressed as baristas and bakers, immersing visitors in a whimsical, fairy tale-like environment. Adults who flocked to the event shared stories on social media, expressing how Jellycat toys act as emotional companions. The netizen ONE. shared, “Jellycat uses emotional value to capture the hearts of the public. For consumers, it is not just a plush toy, but also a companion and a source of comfort!
Song Yuqi from (G)I-DLE charms fans while playing pretend as staff at Jellycat’s Shanghai pop-up café. Image via 桃子🍑.
Jellycat has cleverly tapped into this nostalgia-driven market by leveraging celebrities and creating spaces where visitors can interact with toys in imaginative ways. The café isn’t just about buying plush toys but about offering a lifestyle experience where fans can engage directly with their favorite characters and stars.
This adult-centric plush toy craze is not limited to Jellycat; many other plush toy companies have also adopted this form of marketing for their stores, such as Tuntunzai Bakery. These alternatives are not necessarily cheaper, but they employ the same marketing concept to push their distinct themes. (In the case of Tuntunzai Bakery, a capybara theme.) Customers don’t seem to mind the commercialization and are thrilled by the immersive experience. One Xiaohongshu user, 咕噜咕噜酱 (Gulu Gulu Jiang), captured her excitement in a post: “The Shanghai capybara flash mob is so cute! The baking theme is so delicious. It’s so fun to shop! It takes an hour or so to come out… I was lucky to encountered the new “Mengli” series on the first day of the National Day holiday, the small ones are so cute.” Clearly, this type of engaging atmosphere keeps customers coming back for more.
Tuntunzai Bakery’s pop-up store in Shenzhen. Image via 一个深圳混子.
By turning toys into emotional and lifestyle experiences, Jellycat has transformed itself from a simple plush toy brand into a cultural phenomenon in China, proving that nostalgia, when cleverly marketed, appeals as much to adults as to children.
