Wandering around Athena Xu is like walking through a jewelry and dressing-up box, with accessories, hats and home furnishings cleverly draped all through the boutique.

All pieces are unique, having been hand-crafted from a variety of materials, including leather, silk, chiffon, and ribbon, and are adorned with glass beads, crystal and pearls. Customers' own designs can also be accommodated. Quality does, however, come at a cost, and with hats and scarves starting from RMB 165 and jewelry ranging from RMB 80 to RMB 735, you may well question whether or not you're getting real value for money.

But, while it's a lot pricier than Yaxiu, the beautiful pieces on offer provide a pleasing antidote to the mass-produced tack being peddled to the masses there.

Athena Xu
Location: 100m in from the road west of Yaxiu Market, Chaoyang District
Tel: 010-64155025