In the March issue of Traveler, author Gary Krist scours Shanghai looking for the perfect anniversary gift for his wife (check out Justin Guariglia's photo gallery for a preview). What would have been a daunting task became a whirlwind tour of Shanghai's marketplaces, thanks to a few Shanghai-based family members acting as tour guides.
It certainly makes for a good read, and it clues you in on Shanghai's myriad of shopping opportunities, but what about the rest of us? What about the shopper-travelers that don't have plugged-in family members to help guide them to the perfect purchase?
Enter Francine Martin.
Francine's tour company, East of the Sun, specializes in exactly that. Just tell them what kind of shopping you want to do, and off you go on a personalized tour of Shanghai's markets, specialty shops, and boutiques. With a little expert advice, translation help, and some guidance, visitors are sure to find what they are looking for (and catch a glimpse of the Shanghai that tourists often miss).
We decided to pick Francine's brain about Shanghai and the pros and cons of a personalized shopping tour. Full Q&A with Shanghai's shopping guru after the break.
It certainly makes for a good read, and it clues you in on Shanghai's myriad of shopping opportunities, but what about the rest of us? What about the shopper-travelers that don't have plugged-in family members to help guide them to the perfect purchase?Enter Francine Martin.
Francine's tour company, East of the Sun, specializes in exactly that. Just tell them what kind of shopping you want to do, and off you go on a personalized tour of Shanghai's markets, specialty shops, and boutiques. With a little expert advice, translation help, and some guidance, visitors are sure to find what they are looking for (and catch a glimpse of the Shanghai that tourists often miss).
We decided to pick Francine's brain about Shanghai and the pros and cons of a personalized shopping tour. Full Q&A with Shanghai's shopping guru after the break.
First of all, tell us a little bit about yourself and your tour
company. When did you first travel to Asia? What inspired you to start
your business in Shanghai?
I grew up in France, and first came to Asia (Taiwan) as a student in 1976. It was sink or swim from a language perspective in Taipei, but the effort was certainly worthwhile. I've also lived in Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. I've been in Shanghai for three and a half years now.
Shanghai presented the perfect opportunity to use what decades of taking friends and family around had taught me. Everyone is looking for rich experiences when they travel--something they can treasure in their mind's eye as well as show or talk about. The challenge and pleasure of making that happen for family and friends has now spilled over to my clients.
When you travel, is shopping something you do to get to know a new city? Why?
Shopping isn't my priority when I travel. I'm mainly after a rich, unique cultural experience. I love to wander old cities, but I naturally have an eye out for the best of whatever wares each place I visit has to offer.
What, in particular, drew you to Shanghai? What makes it such an interesting city in terms of shopping?
Shanghai is the juncture of the colonial era and modern China. I love wandering in the French Concession from a cultural perspective. Shopping-wise, clothing designers abound, but the challenge is finding unique shops that satisfy what visitors want in terms of aesthetics, variety, packaging, and size. I also love all the cultural opportunities here: the annual Shanghai Literature Festival, the burgeoning theater scene, the wide range of stimulating speakers.
Do you think your job has helped you get to know Shanghai in a way most ex-pats miss out on?
Absolutely. As I seek out new shopping sites and local color, I constantly hear locals say they would love to or have been meaning to explore new shops/interesting areas, but just don't have the time.
Why should visitors pay to be shown around? Are there things they get to do/see that they would miss if they went out on their own with a guidebook or with a local guide?
My decades of hosting friends, family, and guests in Asia have given me a unique insight from a Westerner's perspective of what makes an exciting shopping or local outing. I select shops for each client based on what they want to buy and their price point, and in this vast city, I maximize the itinerary of each outing to get the most shopping in with the least travel time. I've vetted the shops I take my clients to and I constantly follow up leads for new shops that aren't in guidebooks yet.
I'm also able to get discounts that walk-in clients can't get, and since I don't accept commissions, unlike many local guides, I'm a free agent to go to the shops that best fit each client's wish list.
So, you create tour itineraries individually, but you must have a few standbys - a few favorite shops or items that you recommend anyone visiting Shanghai to check out...
Modern ceramics, forward-looking clothing, cashmere, pearls, the weekend antique market.
After a long day of shopping (and bargaining), you must need a place to relax. What is your favorite place to unwind?
I love strolling through Fuxing Park to watch kite flying, exercising, children playing, ballroom/country-western/line dancing, board games and tai chi.
If you could have a local guide take you out shopping in any city in the world, where would you want to go?
Although I've been to New York a number of times, I'd love to see it through the eyes of someone who knows it as intimately as I know Shanghai.
Photo courtesy of East of the Sun
I grew up in France, and first came to Asia (Taiwan) as a student in 1976. It was sink or swim from a language perspective in Taipei, but the effort was certainly worthwhile. I've also lived in Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. I've been in Shanghai for three and a half years now.
Shanghai presented the perfect opportunity to use what decades of taking friends and family around had taught me. Everyone is looking for rich experiences when they travel--something they can treasure in their mind's eye as well as show or talk about. The challenge and pleasure of making that happen for family and friends has now spilled over to my clients.
When you travel, is shopping something you do to get to know a new city? Why?
Shopping isn't my priority when I travel. I'm mainly after a rich, unique cultural experience. I love to wander old cities, but I naturally have an eye out for the best of whatever wares each place I visit has to offer.
What, in particular, drew you to Shanghai? What makes it such an interesting city in terms of shopping?
Shanghai is the juncture of the colonial era and modern China. I love wandering in the French Concession from a cultural perspective. Shopping-wise, clothing designers abound, but the challenge is finding unique shops that satisfy what visitors want in terms of aesthetics, variety, packaging, and size. I also love all the cultural opportunities here: the annual Shanghai Literature Festival, the burgeoning theater scene, the wide range of stimulating speakers.
Do you think your job has helped you get to know Shanghai in a way most ex-pats miss out on?
Absolutely. As I seek out new shopping sites and local color, I constantly hear locals say they would love to or have been meaning to explore new shops/interesting areas, but just don't have the time.
Why should visitors pay to be shown around? Are there things they get to do/see that they would miss if they went out on their own with a guidebook or with a local guide?
My decades of hosting friends, family, and guests in Asia have given me a unique insight from a Westerner's perspective of what makes an exciting shopping or local outing. I select shops for each client based on what they want to buy and their price point, and in this vast city, I maximize the itinerary of each outing to get the most shopping in with the least travel time. I've vetted the shops I take my clients to and I constantly follow up leads for new shops that aren't in guidebooks yet.
I'm also able to get discounts that walk-in clients can't get, and since I don't accept commissions, unlike many local guides, I'm a free agent to go to the shops that best fit each client's wish list.
So, you create tour itineraries individually, but you must have a few standbys - a few favorite shops or items that you recommend anyone visiting Shanghai to check out...
Modern ceramics, forward-looking clothing, cashmere, pearls, the weekend antique market.
After a long day of shopping (and bargaining), you must need a place to relax. What is your favorite place to unwind?
I love strolling through Fuxing Park to watch kite flying, exercising, children playing, ballroom/country-western/line dancing, board games and tai chi.
If you could have a local guide take you out shopping in any city in the world, where would you want to go?
Although I've been to New York a number of times, I'd love to see it through the eyes of someone who knows it as intimately as I know Shanghai.
Photo courtesy of East of the Sun
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Hello! Well, I can really say that China is one of the best places to visit especially if you wish to buy great merchandises at very affordable prices. I guess the only issue for me was probably the number of crowd to deal with(especially while shopping). But overall, China particularly Shanghai is quite a great place to visit.
Hey!
I think that is an awesome idea. People don't often know what to get when they are traveling somewhere away from home. I've nver been to Chine, but it is somewhere I would love to visit someday. This company would probably help a lot of people, also, people don't know how much items should cost when it comes to the different currencies. You should definitly advertise your company more so more people can hear about it!
Yes, it is a great idea. I think if you're coming to China and you have a real purpose for shopping or you want an authentic experience, you should look at hiring a guide. Francine isn't the only one who offers shopping tours of Shanghai. I also offer fully customized, guided shopping services in Shanghai (and soon to be Beijing as well). If you're coming to China and want to shop, please contact me. Info is available on my website: ShopMyShanghai.com
If you want to do some serious Shopping, don’t speak Chinese, feel a bit intimidated by Shanghai, and are looking for unique souvenirs, you will waste your time and money if you don’t hire a guide. As far as I can tell from all the reviews out there and our personal experience, the absolute best choice in Shanghai is Francine Martin of East of the Sun for a quality outing to interesting shops that matched our taste and budget, and overall experience. A highlight of our amazing 10 days in China was our two shopping outings with this experienced shopper. We wanted to make some typical purchases (custom tailoring, silk items and art), but were also looking for unique finds and experiences.
Our five custom-made suits (for me, my husband and son) and other outfits came out beautifully; Francine steered us to an excellent tailor among the dozens at one of the fabric markets, helped choose fabric, and bargained for us. Her facility with Chinese + ease with cultural nuances are fascinating. She seems to push negotiations to the limit, yet all parties departed amicably. Later that day she took us to a trove of quality silk gift items in a run-down building on a neglected lane.
As the hired van took us around (it was great to have a reliable place to leave our purchases), Francine sprinkled our conversation with interesting historical facts and stories. She also walked us down some historical lanes we would never have known of or felt confident investigating on our own. The local life we observed makes for some of our most vivid memories of Shanghai.
I wanted to get some of my favorite silver and gold jewelry copied, so Francine took me to her trusted jeweler, and he did an outstanding job! At another shop, Francine helped me find the perfect earring setting, then negotiated the price of Tahitian black pearls (about a third of what they might sell for in the US) to go into the setting.
I had no interest in purchasing knock-off handbags, but hoped to find that perfect bag I’d been looking for the last couple of years. So, Francine took me to a teeny little shop with exquisite leather handbags at reasonable prices, and I found my dream bag plus six more! This shop doesn’t even have a business card.
For elegant Asian antiques and contemporary art Francine took us to a gallery in an old, gorgeously appointed mansion (by appointment only). We fell in love with one of their artists’ work, and that piece now serves as a heartwarming reminder of the lifetime of memories we had in Shanghai this summer.
You can read about her at http://www.eastofthesun-asia.com/about.html and http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_marx?currentPage=1
Happy shopping! Michelle