Cartier, Dior gravitate to Swire Properties’ Taikoo Li retail complex in Shanghai’s emerging business district

Swire Properties opened its second mass market commercial property in Shanghai’s emerging business district, drawing international brands ranging from Cartier to Dior to the city’s newest shopping landmark.

The 120,000 square metre Taikoo Li Qiantan complex, with 250 stores spanning fashion, dining, entertainment, health and lifestyle, and arts and culture, officially opened in Qiantan on Thursday. The complex in the Pudong New Area is dubbed as Shanghai’s “second Lujiazui”.

It is Swire Properties’ third Taikoo Li project on the mainland, which the Hong Kong-listed company has jointly developed with state-owned Lujiazui Group. The Taikoo Li brand is renowned for its open-plan and lane-driven architecture design. Situated near the site of the 2010 World Expo, the complex features a wide expanse of open green space and lanes across the ground level and rooftop.

“We are confident that Taikoo Li Qiantan will help to transform Pudong as a famous shopping circle in the years to come, further elevating Shanghai’s global influence as an international consumption hub,” said Tim Blackburn, chief executive of Swire Properties.

Some 20 brands have opened their first store in the country, including skateboarding brand Avenue & Son, while Starbucks chose the location to set up its first Greener Store Lab outlet.

Qiantan is some 12km south of Lujiazui, known as China’s Wall Street, where the Shanghai stock and futures exchanges are located.