Licheng Ling’s Shanghai Is the Other City That Never Sleeps
The designer shares her favorite Shanghai finds, from sandalwood soap to excellent Italian food.
Shanghai-born Licheng Ling, founder of luxury loungewear brand Homeism, moved to New York City in 2010 to study fashion. "I felt excited about everything, but also a bit nervous," she says about moving. Soon enough, however, New York reminded her of home. "In the 1920s, people called Shanghai the Manhattan of the East," Ling says. "In some ways, the cities are very similar: They’re diverse, open, and never sleep."
Shanghai-born Licheng Ling is the founder of luxury loungewear brand Homeism.
Courtesy of Licheng Ling
Vase No. 1 by Zhou Yilun
"This vase lit up my living room during the lockdown. It looks quite heavy from the outside. At first, I thought it was ceramic, but it’s made of high-density foam."
Courtesy of Gallery SOHE
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"I love sandalwood in any form: soap, incense, candle, or fragrance. It’s an ancient Chinese smell with a Zen power that can calm down my mind right away. Bee & Flower is a historic beauty brand that’s been around since the 1920s. The soap is made in Shanghai."
Courtesy of Pearl River Mart
"Zhou Xuan is the voice of Old Shanghai. When she sings about Shanghai in the 1930s and ’40s—the glamorous golden era— her voice says everything."
Illustration by Justine Wong
"I went to Italian designer Aldo Cibic’s pre-Christmas dinner in his Shanghai studio last year. We had delicious Thai food and mostly used tableware designed by Aldo himself. I especially love this elegant decanter."
Courtesy of Aldo Cibic
"Shanghai-born textile artist Miranda Fengyuan Zhang told me her grandmother used old, recycled sweaters to fabricate new garments for her. My mom did the same thing when I was a kid. My grandmother also did it for my mom. It’s a special way Shanghainese moms show love for their kids. In Miranda’s work, she uses threads from industrial leftovers sourced from Chinese factories. This piece reminds me of my mom."
Courtesy of Miranda Zhang
"I bring my Poppy nightgown with me wherever I go. Once I put it on, I feel at home."
Courtesy of Licheng Ling
"My grandfather used to give me this candy when he picked me up from primary school. I loved eating it while sitting on the back of the bicycle he used to take me home."
Illustration by Justine Wong
Vegetal Stories, Still Life Composition by Jérémie Thircuir and Wang Hua
"I was in Shanghai during its most recent lockdown, when fruits and vegetables suddenly became a luxury. I had a chance to re-see and re-understand them. These ceramic sculptures let me appreciate the simplicity of beauty and the essence of life, which I had almost forgotten about."
Courtesy of Jérémie Thircuir and Wang Hua. Photo by Ji Xiaotong.
Shanghai
Where to Eat: Designed by local practice Linehouse and located inside Shanghai’s newly opened contemporary art center UCCA Edge, the New Wave by Da Vittorio restaurant merges the museum and fine dining experiences. In Ling’s mind, you can never go wrong with Italian food.
Where to Sleep: Located in the downtown district of Jing’an, the PuLi Hotel and Spa is a peaceful urban resort within the city. Created by the late Indonesian designer Jaya Ibrahim and Australian studio Layan, the Zen oasis benefits from its spacious surroundings, textured fabrics, and tasteful eastern touches.
PuLi Hotel and Spa
"Located in the downtown district of Jing’an, The PuLi Hotel and Spa is a peaceful urban resort within the city. Designed by the late Indonesian designer Jaya Ibrahim and Australian design studio Layan, the zen oasis benefits from its spacious surroundings, textured fabrics, and tasteful eastern touches."
PuLi Hotel by JEF FREE.Z, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Where to Shop: Also in Jing’an is multi-brand retailer XC273. The shop is situated in a three story factory conversion by dongqi Design, and carries collections from all the best young Chinese fashion designers. For Ling—who recently bought a dragon candle designed by Yueqi Qi from the store—the experience is like shopping at New York’s New Museum gift shop.
XC273
Also in Jing’an, multi-brand retailer XC273 carries collections from all the best young Chinese fashion designers. For Ling—who recently bought a dragon candle designed by Yueqi Qi from the store—the experience is like shopping at the New York’s New Museum gift shop.
Photo by Raitt Liu, Courtesy dongqi Design
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