(That's shanghai)
Updated: 2007-01-09 11:10

Deep in the southern provinces, lost amongst rolling hills and stilt houses, rice fields and rivers, you'll find concentrated pockets of China's ethnic minority groups. The Miao minorities define themselves with intricate batiks, embroidery and jewelry; each group adorned with a unique style and motif symbolizing their blood lineage. Their thumb-numbing craftsmanship sometimes takes months to create, and is proudly displayed during festivals and important events. Shanghai is home to a few of these people who have set up shop selling a wide variety of pleated wrap skirts, jackets, jewelry, hats, and shoes.

Zhang's Textiles
Containing mostly Qing and Ming dynasty textiles with some attention paid to China's minority groups, this shop is a true gem. From the embroidered monsters on a princess' skirt to a beautifully framed dragon robe, birds of civil officers and beasts of military service, the clothes wear their time and significance splendidly, offering a fashionable tour of Chinese textile history. Some extremely elaborate wedding headdresses, hair sticks, and hat pins are also delicately framed. Everything is museum quality and often lent to such facilities. An antique advisor is on site to share each textile's intricate story.

Address: Suite 202A, Shanghai Center, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, 6279 8587

Yun Chuan Xiang Gui

At the end of Dongtai Lu's antique stretch, you'll find this single store filled with the market's best minority clothes, from throughout Guanxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan. Books line the shelves to help walk you through the collection, explaining the rituals and occasions which inspire the delicate embroideries.

Address: 153 Dongtai Lu, 5382 4502

Shanghai Harvest Studio

At the Shanghai Harvest Studio atelier, eight Miao women sit and giggle through the day as they embroider traditional designs on various useful items such as notebooks, wallets, wall hangings and pillows, in addition to beautifully preserved festival garments. Owner Shirley Zhang has a close relationship with the Miao people in Guizhou and has set up a factory, school, and museum for them. Items can be made to order, or you can try making them yourself by joining the private embroidery classes on site.

Suite 118, Bldg 3, Lane 210 Taikang Lu

Brocade Country

Two years ago a gentle Miao family moved from southwest China to Shanghai and opened up a beautiful store of traditional wares. Owner Xiaolan Liu explains, in perfect English, the significance of a wealthy wall brocade, the embroidered symbols on a bedcover and the tiny details stitched onto a baby's collar. The silver festival jewelry is some of the best preserved in town, and whether new or antique, all of the embroideries are skillfully maintained. The store quickly sells out of their skirt collection, but quarterly trips back to the region keep it replenished with a bright array of goods. Brocade Country is a serene environment to learn about the Miao - but beware, it's hard to resist those handmade silver necklaces.

Address: 616 Julu Lu, 6279 2677