Shenzhen Part 2: The evidence

Crossing the border is the easiest for Hong Kong permanent residents and even easier for Chinese nationals. In the latter only an ID card is presented into an electronic machine along with thumb print. HK permanent residents; don't forget to bring your passport with your Visa, along with your ID card. (I forgot my passport and lost 2 precious hours. Silly me). The KCR takes you straight to the border, Lo Wu.

Lo Wu Commercial City Centre is the closest mall from the KCR station and needs at least a whole day to take a good look around. Close to 1500 shops selling clothes, shoes, sunglasses, watches, gadgets, DVDs/VCDs, materials and jewellery. According to Ellen McNally, author of "Shop in Shenzhen; an insider's guide" even real dinosaur eggs. (!!!)

We entered, at random, one of the many shops and after much unsuccessful haggling and leaving because I literally didn't have enough money for the two jackets I wished to purchase. After being physically grabbed and dragged back into the shop, fingers working quickly on calculator and persuaded with half the amount of which the garments were originally priced I bought them. Success! Penniless, we moved onto the tailor on the top floor of the mall, where any fabric of any design can be chosen to make whatever you wish. Anything. Bring a picture, an item to copy, or even your own design and it's theirs to make at an impressively affordable price.

I brought a dress to be copied and the result will be posted here next week. Whether it turns out well is the risk you take. For my Year 13 formal I had a dress made from my own design, when it arrived it was unwearable and the fabric I had chosen was atrocious. So unless you're very talented in selecting, designing and explaining exactly what you want, it's better to bring an original to copy.

Here are the jackets I bought: