A couple of new and not-so-new boutiques have caught our fashion-conscious eye in the past few weeks.

ChairBob

From the outset, the space's eclectic décor gives a pretty clear idea of the gems in-store: crazy, clashing wallpaper offset by Venetian masks and vintage parasols surround a heavy wooden table crammed with stuffed birds, bell jars and enough sparkle to dazzle a magpie. The quirkiness extends to the fashion, too, with womenswear by Danish designer Peter Jensen, London duo Eley Kishimoto and, from China, cashmere queen Yang Du. We have our eyes on her batman mini dress, although at 4,800rmb it ain't cheap. When it comes to leg-wear, ChairBob rules the roost, with leggings and tights by the likes of bebaroque (from 430rmb for a pair of blinging, sequin-embellished tights) and knitted numbers by Les Queues de Sardines (620rmb): featuring bold graphics, bright colors and a healthy dose of humor, they're not for wallflowers. Completing the look with eye-grabbing shoes from Icelandic label KRONbyKRONKRON (from 2260rmb) and time-piece accessories by Israeli brand Ruby Star, ChairBob is nothing if not international. Whilst we're not clear to what extent its Nanchang Lu environs contribute to its hefty price tags, the store is a breath of fresh air with unusual labels, international talents and fearless fashion.

Catie Lo

Not as brand-spanking new as our usual boutique beat offerings, Catie Lo's eponymous store has been quietly charming shoppers on Wukang Lu for about six months already. Missed it? That might be because at first glance, the fashion emporium could well be mistaken for someone's living room (albeit one with an inappropriately large front window). Honestly, crossing the tiled patio area into the sepia-tinted nostalgia of Catie Lo feels a little awkward – the place looks and feels so much like someone's home, with towering wooden wardrobes, knick-knacks aplenty and a soundtrack evocative of by-gone Europe. There's a piano, a goldfish in a jar and a gloriously glamorous chaise longue – but don't be fooled: what's on offer is contemporary fashion, labels du jour and some mighty covetable accessories for the body and home. You've got Shanghainese designer He Yan, local label SnoozerLoozer and Chinese brand Miss Mean, whose orange and cream wrap dress (1680rmb) screams summer. There are some high-end surprises in store too, and on our visit we spotted dresses by Miu Miu and Armani, as well as some strappy Manolo Blahnik sandals. More tempting, though, is a range of footwear by Taiwanese talent Chloe Chen: a pair of leopard print, tasseled loafers with either black or red piping look fabulous and cost 1,380rmb. There’s a lot to love about this Wukang Lu emporium, including its adorable deer logo courtesy of illustrator Bei Bang. Large size animal prints by the artist are on sale for 1000rmb, or pick up a pack of 40 postcards for 168rmb – our favorite is the hare. Other non-wearables include colorful Double Happiness dining plates by Yaang (168rmb) and heavenly scented candles by luxury brand Voluspa (350rmb-590rmb).

Jumble

Something for Sir? Over on Xinle Lu, there’s new multi-brand menswear boutique called Jumble. It stocks a pricey line in T-shirts, belts, wallets, shirts and coats. Right now they have spring waterproof coats by Minotaur and bags by Japanese brand Beruf, two brands we’ve not seen elsewhere in Shanghai. T-shirts and other stuff are mostly from Chinese labels and they’re on the expensive side: 680rmb for T-shirt? Not on this salary, but nice stuff all the same. We also saw some knee-high riding boots that were feichang fashion. There’s a small rack of girls’ stuff, too. Just to give your missus something to flick through while you’re salivating over the goods.

Solid

And just up the street you’ll find the latest branch of Solid, which stocks shirts, suits, jeans and T-shirts by a bunch of Chinese designers, and then some big-name foreign brands: Thom Browne, Moncler, Givenchy and Dsquared2. We like the long-sleeves by Samir Dima, which have floppy necks and hoods in unusual places. Yours for 340rmb. They also stock shoes and a couple of belts and man-cessories. Some of it’s a bit shiny and loud. Some of it, well, the prices look too good to be true and we’re not too sure where they’re getting the stock, but … hell, you know how it is.