I was thinking about getting my wife some lingerie for Valentine’s Day, but I've heard her and other women complain about the sizes available in Shanghai. I want to buy something slinky and she’s rather stacked in the rack department, so I’m not sure where to look.

Cheers,

Bumbling Boob

Dear Boob,

What better gift for the one you love than gorgeous lingerie – she looks fabulous and you can enjoy it too!

The question of where to purchase lingerie is often asked in Shanghai. There are many options around town: Bench Body, Calvin Klein Underwear and Aimer.com.cn all offer a large range. For more European and American brand names, there is also PrivateShop which comes from Hong Kong and stocks brands such as Passionata. Private Shop has two locations, 3F Times Square, 99 Huaihai Zhong Lu and 3F, City Plaza, 1618 Nanjing Xi Lu (above the Jing’an metro station). This floor of the department store actually has a whole section of lingerie with both Western and Chinese brands, but Private Shop is a highlight.

Amour Cache is a French franchise which has extremely professional and helpful staff. They stock a French-influenced range of lingerie and offer custom-made options for the fuller figure. The prices are reasonable for a quality product and the service is excellent. They have stores around Shanghai, including Shop 115, 919 Tianshan Lu (near the Loushanguan Lu metro station) and 1260 Huaihai Zhong Lu (near the Changshu Lu metro station). Both of these outlets are top notch, but the lady who measures for custom-made orders at the Huaihai store is away on maternity leave for a few months so the Tianshan Lu shop is your best bet at the moment.

Gujin stocks some La Perla and other brands at 12F, Yongxing Mansion, 887 Huaihai Lu, near Maoming Lu. But for garter belts and stockings you should try heading east to Babaiban in Zhangyang Lu, Xinqu, Pudong.

Larger sizes are available in Marks & Spencer, as well as a range of sports bras (not for Valentine’s Day boys!), which can be hard to find in Shanghai.  

Head to Eve’s Temptation Lingerie, located at 11 Shanxi Lu, near Fuxing Lu, for gorgeous silk lingerie – and other tempting items... And last, but not least, Tittilate Lingerie, 849 Julu Lu, near Changshu Lu, also sells Western brands, including the ever-popular Victoria’s Secret.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for from this list, you can also buy sexy, premium, designer brand lingerie as worn by Hollywood starlets from www.misnono.com. Order online and they’ll deliver your new lingerie to Shanghai in days.

* I would like to thank Louise for her assistance in putting this list together.

Shopping Tours Shanghai would like to wish you all a happy and safe Chinese New Year. Take the hassle out of shopping with visitors by booking them on a tour – Shanghai residents get a 10 per cent discount. For more information, visit the website, www.shoppingtoursshanghai.com, or email [email protected]