With Francine Martin

American Francine Martin has always been an avid window shopper. She likes nothing more than scouring the shops and markets of Shanghai in search of unusual finds. Martin founded her business East of the Sun over three years ago to provide Shanghai's residents and visitors with a sophisticated, tailor-made shopping service.

Q: How did you get into personal shopping?

A: I knew someone in Hong Kong who ran a similar business and she asked me to work for her. At the time it didn't feel right. When I came to Shanghai four years ago, I fell in love with the city's architecture, so I decided to start my own personal shopping service and combine it with showing people the wonderful visual aspects of Shanghai. I don't pretend to be a historian or art expert, but I do have a love for aesthetics and the research skills to find what people need.