In a city where half the women roam the streets in sky-high heels and all-ebony figure clinging get-ups, Mayumi Sato's laidback approach towards fit and colour is a welcome breath of fresh aesthetic air. At her two-year-old boutique in the French Concession, the designer chats about her design signatures, inspirations, and the versatility of clothes.

Many women developed their first sartorial preferences during girlhood by playing dress up with their dolls. Mayumi Sato went a step further and designed outfits for her Barbies.

As a teenager, she also began customising clothes and accessories. Her passion for design led Sato to study at BUNKA’s School of Fashion Design in Tokyo, where her forté was pattern making. After graduating, Sato spent five years in Paris working for various Paris-based designers.

Because of her background in pattern making, Sato can personally execute every step of the design process – from the very first drawing, to the cutting of the patterns, to the very last stitch on the hem – although now she has a trusted Japanese tailor who takes care of most of the sewing.

Sato tends to focus on looser silhouettes: clothes that are friendly to the body, flattering all figures without being restrictive. She believes in designing “very simple, very basic” clothes, with unique detailing but also with room for personalisation. “A small change in the waistline or belt placement shifts everything,” she says.

With a design aesthetic that applauds daily comfort and style, the collections are for the everyday woman in her 20s and older, “as long as she is open to a touch of colour.”

Not one to deliver abstract ideas through fashion, Sato's designs have progressed from earlier collections featuring many tribal and ethnic details, to her current, more “feminine” attitude. Asked where she gets her inspiration, Sato gives a bewildered smile and says vaguely, “I don't know, many things.”

Among the many things, film has played an important role. “Sofia Coppola's movie, The Virgin Suicides, was the inspiration for one of my photo shoots,” Sato says. “I loved the darkly poetic, romantic setting, and themes of teenage love and romance.”

 The Mayumi Sato boutique on Anfu Lu is a haven of understated femininity. Neither overly frilly, nor decked out in every current trend, it showcases soft colours and welcoming displays of handmade silk clutches and exotic necklaces in subdued colours and vintage ornamentation. With a design aesthetic that applauds daily comfort and style, the collections are for the everyday woman in her 20s and older, “as long as she is open to a touch of colour.”

Sato’s clothes embody a philosophy of candid ease. A light camel coloured, wool and viscose blouse, gracefully draped with two loose fluttering layers epitomises her attitude to the basics – the shirt is relaxed, and features effortless detail. The same combination of effortlessness and attention to detail can be seen in a green wool cape, almost rigid looking with a neat, high collar that flounces down lightly to mid-arm, enclosed in the front by vintage tortoiseshell buttons.

Every piece throughout the store features richly indulgent texture. Sato prefers natural fabrics to synthetics, sometimes importing organic cotton from Japan. The quality of her materials is evident as she unfolds a dual-sided, heavy silk scarf. The solid aubergine side is juxtaposed with a vintage multi-coloured print, and on each corner small bonbons dangle. These are her signature – silk and cotton fabrics bundled together into small balls. The bonbons adorn her scarves, bags, as well as various other pieces and sometimes also serve as buttons so that the wearer can create sleeves, a shawl, a blouse, you name it – all out of the same piece of clothing. Versatility is also one of Sato’s signature features.

After numerous requests, Sato has also recently decided to take the plunge into designing wedding dresses, having done three last summer (one for her own wedding). Her wedding creations feature lovely flounces on a simple silhouette, ideal for a bride looking for complete confidence and ease on her big day. With tentative plans to open a second boutique in another (to be announced) location, demands for these soft, unique threads are sure to increase.

One of the best things about no longer being a little girl is having the freedom to dress as one pleases. We’re glad to be in Shanghai, where Sato is close at hand to help us with that kind of sartorial fun.

Mayumi Sato Boutique, 169 Anfu Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu. Tel: 5403 3909. Web: www.mayumisato.com