GUANGZHOU WITH ANNA WALGERS

NAME: Anna Walgers

WHAT DO YOU DO: Fashion Designer

SOCIALS: @googgram

STAR SIGN: Pisces

LIVING: Brisbane, Australia

SLEEP

Marriott

This is a work trip, so creature comforts are a must! This one is also conveniently located directly above my favourite shopping destination.

EAT

JASMINE JADE

Yum Cha lunch. This is traditional Chinese Yum Cha chain that is everywhere in China.

Each location is an enormous dining room filled with tables of big families spanning three generations, groups of friends and business lunches. Lunch can last over for 3 hour periods is a regular occurance. Their version of a family meal is pretty incredible.

DO

I travel here for work 3-4 times a year, and I’m here to source fabric, so I head to the fabric market. Just imagine a shopping centre as big as Sydney CBD 8 levels high housing 2 m wide shopfronts all specializing in different fabrics. This is most likely the place the clothing you're currently wearing comes from.

There are different departments within the market; accessories , trims, buttons, stretch fabrication, woven fabric, belt buckles, patches – everything you can think of!

In my downtime I always try and fit in a run to the Guangzhou Opera house, it’s a pretty incredible building tucked into a park with a library and art museum.

Running here always makes me feel great because the humidity is so high I feel like I just did a hot yoga class.

My absolute favourite thing to do in Guangzhou is go shopping in the magical underground shopping mall. I was only shown this mall on I think my fourth trip and since then it's always been the highlight.

Above ground is a whole lot of boring luxury shopping, below ground is where the younger generations shop, small market stalls packed with Japanese and Korean fashion.

Unfortunately for me, a size 10 in clothes and a size 39 in shoes, I’m a giant but I still manage to find several tent- like linen dresses that I can make work every time.

*TIP - Bring cash! Most of China uses Alipay so they don’t accept most foreign cards, also haggle, you can always try to score a deal when purchasing multiple items!

PACK

I always pack flowy lightweight mid length dresses, the humidity is real. I also always opt for a backpack as well over my normal tote or shoulder bag – getting around the markets you want to make sure all your belongings are secure and also you want to be handsfree. You have to be ready to touch and feel thousands of different fabrics.

Sunscreen, water, hand sanitiser (A must)

Comfortable shoes, roughly a fabric market day calls for a good 20,000 steps, so bring shoes you are confidant won't end in blisters.