Located at No 399 Lujiabang Road, the Shanghai South Bund Fabric Market — a maze of cramped stalls stacked across three floors — has become an unlikely hotspot for globetrotters.

Built in 2005, the market recently went viral on social media, drawing waves of global visitors eager to commission bespoke suits, shirts and traditional qipao.

On the first floor, Xu Chengfang, the owner of Kate&Kevin, flips through a ledger of client measurements. "The customers come for fittings, pick materials, and leave with finished pieces in under 10 days," she said, referring to China's 240-hour visa-free transit policy.

Xu's stall, like many here, bears an English name and Xu, like many other shop owners, haggles fluently in different foreign languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and more.

The market's appeal to foreign travelers peaked at around the 2010 World Expo, when Shanghai came under the global spotlight. After the expo ended, more local customers stepped in as the number of foreign visitors declined.

Over the past few years, as China expanded the visa-free policies to lure global travelers, the market regained its fame as more and more international visitors dropped by to have a taste of local craftsmanship.

Anastasia, a student from Belarus, admits she's fallen for the "new Chinese style" and embroidered qipao, captivated by the distinctiveness of Chinese cultural motifs.

"I really like traditional Chinese clothes. I want to wear them every day," she said. "For me, this market is the best to explore, you can get everything custom-made just how you want it."

The market's appeal to global customers not only lies in its quality tailor-made clothing, but also its affordable prices.

There's something for every budget. The most affordable suit starts at just a few hundred yuan, while a mid-tier suit with decent fabric and styling can cost 2,000 yuan ($278) and more.

In the eyes of Xu, foreign customers not only value personalized tailoring — opting for premium fabrics, embroidered initials, and custom buttons — but also love haggling.

These artisans offer more than just goods: their shops function as vital cultural bridges, small but unbreakable.

Cai Hongjuan, a seamstress of 33 years, is designing a leather jacket with a loong-patterned lining for Sabine, a German customer.

"They are not just buying clothes. They're taking memories home," Cai said.

Sabine is a German motorcycle enthusiast and a long-time patron of Cai's store. She hoped to bring a tailor-made jacket back home as a souvenir of her life in Shanghai.

"I like loong (Chinese dragon). I'll remember Hongjuan and this market every time I wear this jacket when I go back to Germany," Sabine said.

If you go

Address: No 399 Lujiabang Road, Huangpu district

Contact: 177-2142-6430; 0210-6377-2236

How to get there:

Metro: Nanpu Bridge Station (Exit 3) of Metro Line 4, then 7-min walk

Bus:

1. Lujiabang Road Haichao Road Station (Opposite the shopping mall)

To Nanpu Bridge: Bus 43/64/89

(Only 100m/2-min walk to the mall)

2. Lujiabang Road Haichao Road Station (In front of the shopping mall entrance)

To North Zhongshan Road/Zhongtan Road: Bus 64

To South Hongcao Road/Jiang'an Road: Bus 43

(Just 50m/1-min walk to the mall)

Sources: Shanghai Observer, WeChat account "shhuangpu", WeChat account of Shanghai South Bund Fabric Market