Good retail design depends largely on effective brand communication, but the ubiquity of modern shopping centers does little to differentiate one shop from another. Hence, it falls to the individual retailer to create a shop that communicates a message unique to itself. Established as one of the new fashion centers of the world, urban Shanghai is a hotbed of innovative retail design, synthesizing traditional and modern architectural influences and the cultures of both East and West. Alternative Shops is an exciting visual journey through the most vibrant and distinctive boutiques in Shanghai.