Care for 100% Leather Handicrafts?
Located near the Rear Lake of Central Beijing, Brahma Samghrma offers traditional handicrafts made of pure leather. This tiny shop has attracted many foreign customers since it opened in 2006.
Beyond the narrow entrance door, a leather smell guides you to a clean sales floor where numerous leather handicrafts are on display. The main hues here are yellow and brown: yellow decoration, brown leather items.
The merchandise is mainly shown on two sides: satchels and handbags on left side, tiny handicrafts such as wallets, purses, cell phone and key skins, and cup holders on the right wall. A few new arrivals stand on the central shelves. According to the shop owner, the merchandise is designed in Taiwan and manufactured in the Guangdong province. The business philosophy of this handicraft shop is “offering not just products, but a nice life style”.
Browsing through the displays, I noticed that the patterns used on the leather are simple: just a few lines or metal circles to decorate. The quality of of the leather is pretty good though. I selected a rectangle satchel matched with a long belt. Three deep red lines ornamented its surface; inside, an inner pocket with a black zipper. The whole thing looked cool, especially in winter. Made in 100% deer skin, it felt pretty soft.
When our conversation turned to the shop itself, the owner added that they see a lot of repeat business due to the quality of the leathers they select. Among the tiny handicraft selection, the lady recommended tiny purses for pocket change, and cup holders. The leather material lends these items a long lifetime.
Small leather handicrafts are usually priced from RMB 15 to RMB 100; while, the satchels from RMB 200 to RMB 700. You can use the calculator or paper to bargain the price, for the shop owner speaks very little English.
Buddha ornaments at the Artworks Mansion
Wangfujing Street, one of the most famous and crowded shopping street in Beijing, is a mix of Chinese tradition and modern styles. With so many interesting products sold on the street, you just need an eye of discovery. While, a shop full of Buddha ornaments caught my eye as I passing by the Artworks Mansion.
This shop is located on the 2nd floor of the Artworks Mansion. There, an abundance of jade, golden and silver jewelries, Tibetan ornaments, and figures of Buddha carved of rare timbers.
The shop not only offers various kinds of ornaments, but it is also a study center for Buddhists. As I visited this huge place, a smiling assistant served me all the time. On each wall, numerous figures of Buddha carved of rare timbers. In the glass display tables at the center, ornaments are categorized showed based on their materials: crystal, colored glaze, wood, and jade.
Each Buddha figurine is accompanied by a tag showing the type of timber, the name of the Buddha, the country of production. I was interested in a deep brown color figurine (RMB 26,000) made of a Vietnamese wood called Nanmu (楠木). Its expression and the decorations around had been carved carefully by the craftsman.
The shop assistant showed me a set of crystal bracelets. She explained that each Chinese zodiac animal matched a kind of crystal. For example, the goat matched a deep purple crystal, supposedly capable of absorbing body toxins. A box contained 12 crystal bracelets of 12 different colors, priced each at RMB 268.
Prices for Buddha figurines ranged from RMB 500 to RMB 50,000, and for other ornaments from RMB 200 to RMB 20,000. Bargaining is not customary in this shop.
Many other stalls are also located on the second floor of the Artworks Mansion. Their prices start from RMB 10 up to hundred thousand yuans. With the prices clearly written on the tags, there is no room to haggle.
Woolen Sweaters from Inner Mongolia
Lying on the pasture of northern China, the province of Inner Mongolia is very famous for its wool products. Erdos, the leader of local brands, has opened lots of outlets in Beijing.
The Erdos outlet I visited is situated by the Yonghegong Lamasery near NingXia Hotel. Its presence is signaled by a few Chinese characters (内蒙羊绒) which mean ‘Wool from Inner Mongolia’. As I entered the shop, the sale clerk was in discussion with a middle-aged couple about the products.
The woolen sweaters -- their main items -- are displayed by the entrance. In the back, there is a small section devoted to bed items, such as cushions and pillows. The shop is decorated in a simple, but orderly style.
The woolen sweaters are chiefly in solid hues: red, grey, black, and purple. Not unlike the shop itself, their design is simple: round high collar, long sleeves, no button.
I picked a deep purple one; it felt light and soft. According to the shop assistant, this hue is popular among female aged over 35. Chinese men prefer other dark colors.
The prices for their products usually range from RMB 150 to RMB 400. While, you can get a discount for their off-season stock. Unfortunately, you may need a calculator or a piece of paper to bargain the price, for the shop assistants do not speak English.
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