We scoured Beijing for the city’s 50 very best shops. Here’s the full list at a glance.

Boutiques

Get a feel for the city’s fashion and design scene at these unique boutiques.

Monster Petite hutong boutique that specialises in independent brands.

Dong Liang Studio Open since 2009, this tiny shop was a trailblazer in the hutong boutique scene, featuring independent Chinese designers exclusively.

Triple-Major The aesthetic is as Beijing as it gets in this expertly renovated hutong spot. It’s worth a gander even if you won’t be buying.

Brand New China (BNC) This is the number one, all inclusive stop to school yourself on contemporary fashion in China.

Plastered T-Shirts Long-established graphic T-shirt vendor Plastered isn’t a new find, but its constant evolution and creativity keep us coming back.

Tang’ Roulou The brainchild of two French designers this shop gracefully blends Chinese and Western elements of style.

Christopher Bu Stylist to the starlets Christopher Bu’s space.

Sanlipop Beautifully curated home design and fashion showcasing from European designers.

The Beast Hip boutique selling flowers and jewelry.

Anchoret Tiny, demure shop selling beautifully crafted apparel

Pillowbook Uniquely Chinese lingerie in a hidden hutong location.

Radiance Trunk Shop for denim fiends, from the best in European heritage brands from British designer Nigel Cabourn to rugged denim from LA-brand Rising Sun.

Accessories

Our favourite spots for picking up the little extras that no stylish Beijinger can do without.

Ziwu The main focus of this thumbnail-sized shop is on bags, both vintage and hand-stitched by the owners. You’ll find everything from small clutches to mid-sized totes and backpacks.

Ubi Gallery The shop specialises in jewellery and ceramics, primarily featuring designers from Asia and many with international backgrounds.

D-SATA Dim Sum of All Things Asian is the brainchild of Currie, a Canadian-Korean lawyer-turned-designer. Her delightful shop is a menagerie of unusual textiles, minority fabrics and exotic skins that have been transformed into beautiful clutches and jewellery.

Paloma Sanchez Whimsical designs that demonstrate the designer's love of natural gems in their rough, uncut state.

Ishaveya A collection of accessories from India’s young, hip designers–and it’s not all what you see in Bollywood flicks, either.

Elisabeth Koch Millinery Milliner to the Chinese glitterati, Koch is something of an institution in the city.

Juma Travel-inspired wears inside the Four Seasons Hotel.

The Backroom Beautifully curated lifestyle concept shop showcasing homewares, jewelry and accessories by an array of designers.

Vintage

Discover unique, pre-loved pieces at Beijing’s hippest vintage stores.

Delia A fabulously eclectic mix of new and old, local and foreign, designer and unknown – owners Jessie Li and Lau Jiu Fai curate this exquisite vintage boutique on Wudaoying like the bosses they are.

Mega The grandfather of Beijing’s vintage scene, Mega remains one of the city’s best bets for a consistently good find.

Chichi and Roro Vintage Cuter than a vintage button that you might find on the shelves, proprietor Chichi Lee is one class act with an eye for details.

Nostalgia We can’t help but swoon over the decked-out digs of vintage clothiers Nostalgia. Rack upon rack of smart togs await you at this emporium of previously loved attire.

House of Willow Pull out your wallets (or better yet, your beau’s), because you’re going to want pretty much everything here. Fact.

Trash “n” diamond With brands ranging from H&M to MaxMara, Trash “n” Diamond is a second-hand store whose concept differentiates itself from the city’s array of vintage shops.

Homeware

The best places in the city to pad out your pad.

Spin Ceramics Who can ever have enough dishware, especially when it’s this stunning? Pieces are made and fired in China’s ceramic capital, Jingdezhen.

Cuccina Selling a whole array of kitchen furnishing and gourmet cookware from the very best international brands, this store is for serious chefs and culinary novices alike.

Lily’s Antiques Showroom Offering not only Chinese antiques but also a variety of foreign and local styles, you will find everything you need for sprucing up your interior.

Fei Space This open and airy 798 venue that used to be founder and creative director Lin Jing’s own home, is one of the most original and eclectic shops in town, with clothes, furniture and installations dotted around the space’s different areas.

Lost and Found I & II These upscale and impossibly chic boutiques never fail to impress with their serene spaces and inspired designs.

Records

Grab some vinyl, or just hang out and listen, at this Beijing music shops.

Indie Music This miniscule, vinyl-packed cupboard is a massive player in the Chinese music industry.

Li-Pi Records Digital is a dirty word at this funky little record store-cum-bar-cum-café. Vinyl is all they sell, and if you can think of it, Li-Pi probably has is it. They have a café, too.

Fruityshop Find jazz, four decades of pop and rock (’60s through to the ’90s), soundtracks, blues, country, bluegrass, ambient and experimental records at this hutong gem which shares its name with a local record label.

Gifts

Searching for the perfect gift in Beijing? You need to check these places out.

UCCA Store If wandering through one of 798’s more prestigious galleries inspires you to redecorate your home in obscure objets d’art, then the UCCA Store’s got your fix.

Three Stone Kite A staple of the Houhai area, Three Stone Kite specialises in, wait for... kites! Owner Liu Bin learned the traditional Chinese art from his grandfather over 20 years before opening shop in 2003.

+86 Design Leading you into the centre of the art district, the +86 Design store–complete with its own mega-sized blue bunny–sells everything imaginable.

Concertino This Ju’er Hutong branch of Concertino is half knick-knack store, half Western grocery. It’s a bit of a mish-mash of everything.

Liubiju Founded over 480 years ago, Liubiju is one of the oldest brands in the capital. Pickles and other preserves ferment in deep white-and-blue ceramic vats while Beijingers hurry about stocking up on these condiments.

LoOne Commune If the idea of a vintage Polaroid or Hong Kong imported Holga sets you aflutter, a venture to LoOne won’t be a wasted one.

Today Art Museum gift shop Review coming soon.

Natooke A fixed-gear bicycle and juggling ball shop that also does workshops.

Brompton Junction The very best fold away bikes.

Books and Stationery

Outstanding places to browse the day away whether you're looking for a book to read or one to write in.

The Book Design Shop Taiwanese owner Tony Li presents a carefully curated selection of China-based and international publications.

Baihua Art Our longstanding go-to for anything creative, wedged into the row of art supply and framing stores on Wusi Dajie, across from the National Art Museum.

The Bookworm A haven for expats, journalists and literary types and the best place to catch a talk by an international author.

Beijing Postcards Affordable postcards from exceptionally knowledgable staff.

Page One A book superstore with multiple Beijing locations.

Moleskine Bringing the sexy back to the ordinary notebook.

Cozy B02k A must visit spot for Beijing book lovers, particularly anime fans.

Source: www.timeoutbeijing.com