Shanghai’s much-loved
‘Scruffy Dog’ stays on
One of Shanghai’s most viral attractions this spring was a shaggy 5.2-meter West Highland White Terrier topiary. The flower-covered sculpture from the Shanghai International Flower Show, affectionately known as the “Scruffy Dog” by netizens, was supposed to be removed in May after the festival ended. After an overwhelming public response, organizers plan to display it for at least three more months.
The giant dog’s fluffy, slightly unruly “hairstyle” and playful expression made it a tourist and local favorite photo spot. The pet-friendly lawn attracted dog owners. The sculpture has drawn many West Highland White Terrier owners to pose with their pets, and spontaneous “Westie meetups” have created a lively community atmosphere.
The “Scruffy Dog” has become one of Shanghai’s latest urban cultural symbols. This month, organizers launched a public campaign to name the sculpture. Local landscaping authorities now maintain the installation daily. To keep the giant dog photo-ready, staff water the sculpture every morning, trim its “fur” once a week, and quickly replace any damaged or withered plants, except on rainy days.
The sculpture is also part of Jing’an’s cultural program. At a recent district light show, organizers installed nighttime lighting above the site and projected animated “Scruffy Dog” images onto Suzhou Creek buildings.
Its popularity has increased business traffic. Suhewan MixC World had 1.701 million visitors from April 18 to May 5, up 192 percent year over year, and sales rose 49 percent to 61.57 million yuan (US$9.04 million), thanks to attractions like the “Scruffy Dog.” According to the district, 41 percent of visitors came from outside Shanghai, and 2.7 percent of foot traffic was international.
Jing’an gains from coordinated promotions
As retailers and cultural venues launched immersive installations, new products and coordinated promotions over the five-day May Day holiday, Jing’an saw strong gains, contributing to Shanghai’s consumption growth.
From April 30 to May 4, sales in Jing’an’s three main commercial areas — Nanjing Road W., Suhewan, and Daning — rose 44.3 percent, outpacing the city average. The district’s retail zones were linked by the Shining Shanghai Light Up Jing’an light show, Jing’an Modern Drama Valley and Shanghai International Flower Show, as well as district-wide consumption vouchers, cross-mall promotions and culture-tourism-sports initiatives.
Over five days, the three areas had over 3.2 million in foot traffic. Visitors doubled at Suhewan MixC World and HKRI Taikoo Hui shopping centers.
Commercial hubs
Shanghai’s luxury retail corridor, Nanjing Road W., featured high-end launches and experiential retail. Zhangyuan hosted CELINE’s summer global launch and BIRKENSTOCK’s 50th anniversary limited-edition release. Waterman and MUJI concept stores opened in China. “The Louis,” a Louis Vuitton landmark, drew steady visitors while HKRI Taikoo Hui staged “The Secret of the Pyramid Builders,” a VR-based retail installation. Over the holiday, Nanjing Road W. sales rose 52.37 percent.
Using its waterfront location and cultural assets, Suhewan targeted younger consumers with experiential retail and pop-up events. A bread festival increased foot traffic, and the “Scruffy Dog” 5.2-meter floral installation went viral. At Joy City, Gen Z shoppers visited over 10 themed pop-ups and 20 IP collaborations. Suhewan sales reached a record 66.33 percent.
Daning promoted family entertainment, sports and consumption as a one-stop shop for nearby residents. Using Jing’an’s 2026 consumer voucher program, Jiuguang Center promoted China’s first “Chibi Maruko-chan Dreamland” pop-up and partnered with over 400 retailers. Sales rose 13.58 percent.
Consumption vouchers
Jing’an used Vitality and Gourmet vouchers to boost dining, retail and lifestyle spending. The Vitality Voucher targeted restaurants and fashion stores. Discounts were enabled in-store without pre-registration. Heavy traffic to redemption sites had a leverage ratio of roughly 12 times. Jiuguang Department Store, Jiuguang Center and REEL Mall were top redemption destinations. In conjunction with Meituan and Dianping, the Gourmet Voucher subsidized international cuisine and specialized dining in Shanghai.
The “Jing’an GO” smart consumption initiative integrated retail activities, shared promotions and ticketing using wearable gadgets. Themed wristbands during the “Double Five Shopping Festival” introduced ritualized shopping to the program, which aimed to convert foot traffic into buying.
Cross-sector collaborations
Cross-sector initiatives boosted holiday offerings. Xiaohongshu and Xiaomi co-hosted the Blue Wandering Festival on Maoming Road N., creating an immersive urban space for slower engagement. The fourth Shining Shanghai Light Up Jing’an light show connected Nanjing Road W. and Suhewan with cultural and retail promotions.
Jing’an Modern Drama Valley introduced theater-themed city walks. Gashapon machines and check-in points let visitors redeem receipts for merchandise or tickets. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Longines Global Champions Tour exhibition at CITIC Square featured equestrian-themed installations.
Jing’an plays a key role as Shanghai
emerges as a beauty and cosmetics hub
International partnerships, product launches and industry collaboration have helped Shanghai become a global beauty and cosmetics hub.
The 2026 Shanghai International Beauty Festival in Jing’an District focused on global expansion, welcoming the UK as the guest country of honor and expanding cooperation with Thailand and South Korea. The initiative aims to attract foreign brands and resources and help Chinese beauty companies expand abroad by strengthening domestic-international markets, supply chains and innovation platforms.
L’Oréal, Noble Isle, UKLASH, Galenic and CHAND launched new products and retail concepts. A Shanghai Vive global flagship experience store and a Sephora pop-up concept space were announced at the event. The event now covers cosmetics value chain research, commercialization and consumer marketing.
Shanghai Jahwa, Joy Group and Tencent attended the 2026 International Cosmetics Innovation Conference (ICIC) in Jing’an, along with over 3,000 industry participants. The topics included anti-aging, infant skincare and scalp care. A Jing’an Commerce Commission and British Beauty Council beauty pop-up opened at Jiuguang Department Store, and a beauty market at Daning Music Plaza featured anime-themed pop-ups, immersive experiences and domestic lifestyle brands for younger consumers.
Jing’an and Fengxian’s growing cooperation in developing Shanghai’s beauty industry ecosystem was also highlighted. In March, the two districts signed a cosmetics cooperation agreement, creating a “dual-core” development model. Jing’an will handle headquarters operations, R&D, brand management and high-end consumption, while Fengxian — home to the Oriental Beauty Valley industrial cluster — will handle manufacturing and supply-chain integration. In April, the two districts launched an industry branding initiative at the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo. Jing’an and Fengxian will host 27 themed events and 15 industry matchmaking sessions in 2026 to collaborate on research, production and market expansion.
Jing’an’s beauty and cosmetics industry cluster, worth over 100 billion yuan (US$13.9 billion), houses over 20 global companies, including L’Oréal’s China headquarters and Yatsen Holding’s global R&D center. Beauty Nova Tech Hub, a beauty and health innovation center in Daning, integrates research, clinical transformation and commercialization through partnerships between government agencies, hospitals, research institutions and private companies. Since its May 2025 launch, it has attracted over 100 domestic beauty companies with proprietary technologies and specialists. It collaborates with L’Oréal China, Huashan Hospital and Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital on clinical transformation and medical research. It also works with Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Scientific Skincare Innovation Alliance and International Cosmetics Innovation Conference. Shanghai Fanyi Bioengineering & Life Sciences and Shanghai Fanyi Integrative Health Technologies won the Gold Medal with Jury Congratulations at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva.
Beauty Nova Tech Hub and WWD China created Beauty Hub, a cross-border business platform for international beauty brands, to support international expansion. The project includes a French Beauty Lounge developed with Business France and CROSS MODE, as well as a UK Beauty Lounge launched in partnership with the UK Department for Business and Trade. International beauty brands receive market-entry and localization support in China, while Chinese companies expand internationally. Beauty Nova Tech Hub also strengthened ties with US, UK, South Korean, and Thai industry organizations and business chambers. The Korean Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai named the center a “Strategic Partner for Skin Health Industry,” indicating greater beauty company cooperation between China and South Korea.
编辑：徐悦琳、王艺萌
资料：区新闻办、上海日报
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