(shanghai daily)
Updated: 2007-01-22 09:23

People passing the junction of Changle and Maoming roads these days might have noticed a flurry of renovation at the Jinjiang Dickson Center. The luxury shopping mall was the first of its kind to open on the Chinese mainland in May, 1994.

The three-story shopping center is undergoing a major face-lift and a change in brand mix on the ground floor.

Italy's top leather goods house Bottega Veneta, as the first new retailer at the center, opened its first store on the Chinese mainland earlier this month. It sells a full collection of soft, sensuous handbags made of the Italian brand's renowned "intrecciato" pattern woven leather. The next will be the 326-square-meter new Gucci shop, which is scheduled to open Saturday.

Gu Yinhai, deputy general manager of the Jinjiang Dickson Center, says that more new stores will start operation after the Chinese New Year.

Seeing the rapid growth in business since it launched on the Chinese mainland in late 2005, Chloe plans to complement its Citic Square store in Shanghai with another outlet at the Dickson.

"Compared with the store at Citic Square, the new Chloe boutique will be quite visible as it will face the streets," says Gary Leong, managing director of Chloe China. The new store will be much larger, covering about 250 square meters.

"Fans of Chloe will soon be welcomed by a new concept store with basically the whole line of Chloe available," says Leong.

The new store will launch in March, about the same time Kenzo will set up a new concept store on the same floor.

A name to excite all the shoe lovers in Shanghai, Sergio Rossi, a leading Italian shoe designer and distributor, also plans to open its first store in Shanghai alongside Bottega Veneta and Gucci in April.

"We sell brands that Plaza 66 doesn't have," Gu says proudly. The Dickson center is comparatively smaller than other luxury shopping centers in the city such as Plaza 66 and Citic Square.

"We can't sell as many brands as they do. That's why we tend to focus on some new, exclusive luxury brands to attract customers," says Gu.

The Polo Ralph Lauren flagship store selling the brand's supreme black label will be the only store remaining at the same location on the ground floor. Renovation is expected to be complete within the first half of the year.

Brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, S.T. Dupont and Gieves & Hawkes that used to be on the ground floor - all distributed on the Chinese mainland by the Jinjiang Dickson Center - will move to the second floor, targeting male customers.

More high-quality tailors will be set up on the same floor. The third floor will feature beauty salons and a spa to provide female customers with an enjoyable, relaxing shopping environment.

Opposite the historical Lyceum Theater, the Jinjiang Dickson Center was built in 1929 and originally hosted Shanghai's sole car dealer in the 1930s, according to Gu.