The Loop: High-End Labels and Handmade Furniture in Lido

For creative types who want their love of unique fashion to spill off their body onto their surroundings, the newest branch of Loop is a one-stop shop. There’s a range of monochromatic, wispy garments from high-end designers Celine and Philip Lim to local brands like C+ and ++ (RMB 700-1,000) and Gao Yuan’s gilded necklaces (from RMB 900).

Lido brings an older clientele but not an older sensibility, says owner Yin Yaping, and the expanded space reflects her commitment to providing a diverse inventory, including secondhand homeware. In this brightly lit shop, take a closer look at the lamps that are not on. In the back of the boutique, they sit atop refurbished trunks designed by a local restaurateur. Yin leads me to the pieces de resistance, vintage chairs redesigned by a local whiskey shop owner. Yin’s philosophy – “to be free” – speaks to the store’s eclectic stance and even though the price tag may indicate anything but, you will be drawn in by how much of herself she imprints onto her bright, forward-thinking shop.

Also try: Palma

Loop. Daily 12pm-10pm. Shop A03, 2 Fangyuan Xilu, Chaoyang District. (5208 6011) www.l8pshop.com 朝阳区芳园西路2号底商A03

By subway: 3km northeast of Liangmaqiao station (Line 10)

Click here to see the October issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo: Judy Zhou