The Estune boutique on Chang Le Road in Shanghai. Clothing stores along the street reflect the range of Shanghai style today, from factory overruns to designer shops like Estune, Liu2 and Even Penniless.

Estune is a space in which clothes are hung in a loft-like space of unfinished concrete with whitewashed wood doors.

Estune, which uses high-quality wool and silks for its women's wear, has attracted the attention of the local hipster crowd, most of whom are trendy young working women.

An outfit sold at Even Penniless. Alex Ying Jianxia, the creative force behind Estune, said that designers are going through a deconstructionist moment -- taking apart the traditional fashion format in favor of something new.

The Liu2 clothing shop on Chang Le Road in Shanghai.

Xu Xuehua, a shop attendant, models a knit jacket at the shop Liu2.

Styles at the boutique Even Penniless, by the designer Gao Xin. In an essentially conservative society like Shanghai, the question remains: Is there a big enough market for these clothes in China?

Ying, the Estune designer, certainly thinks so. "It is hard to wear, but when it works, it looks great," he said.

Liang Ping, who traveled from Xian in central China to Shanghai to shop, browsing through a rack at the boutique Estune.

Lire l'article "Shanghai: The allure of individualism" de Alexandra A. Seno http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/22/style/rhai.php (photo Ariana Lindquist for the IHT)