Chengdu: A Day at the 'Center of the Universe'
Chengdu: A Day at the 'Center of the Universe'
As a Chengdu native living in Chongqing, I've traveled back and forth between Sichuan and Chongqing countless times over the years. Every time I return to Chengdu and call up friends, I always say, without exception, "Let's meet at IFS."
It's not that there's nowhere else to go in Chengdu, but this massive commercial complex—IFS—has everything you could want for eating, drinking, and having fun. It's like a treasure trove: no matter how many times you visit, there's always something new to discover, so it never gets boring.
Online, people often use "center of the universe" to describe the most bustling commercial area in a region. As the capital of Sichuan and a standout among China's new first-tier cities, Chengdu is naturally a key city radiating influence across the entire southwest. And the center of Chengdu? Without a doubt, it's the IFS shopping district—what locals call the "center of the universe."
If you want to find the mall with the largest and most comprehensive collection of luxury brands in the entire southwest, Chengdu IFS is the clear choice. Every brand you can think of is here, and most are the first stores in central-western China or the first in the southwest. That's what makes it the "center of the universe." Friends from Chongqing who want to snag a new Chanel bag have to take a bullet train all the way to Chengdu IFS.
### The Uniquely Storied French Brand: Carven
Beyond the world-famous luxury names, there are many brands here that you might not recognize but have extraordinary histories. For instance, Loro Piana, an Italian top-tier luxury brand founded in 1924 with nearly a century of history; Brunello Cucinelli, known as the "King of Cashmere," worn by almost every Hollywood star; and Carven, a French brand I particularly like.
In 1945, Madame Carven founded the Carven fashion house on the Champs-Élysées. It quickly rose to fame, once rivaling Chanel, and was favored by Parisian royalty and Hollywood stars. The costumes worn by characters in Hitchcock's film *Rear Window* were personally designed by Madame Carven. The wedding dress Liu Shishi wore for her marriage, worth 3 million yuan, was also by Carven.
### China's First Gucci Beauty
Chengdu IFS has every beauty brand you could want, from the luxury Valmont to the mass-market Sephora. But what's surprising is that Gucci Beauty chose to open its first store in China right here. On opening day, the store must have been packed with Chengdu girls.
Although Gucci Beauty only entered the cosmetics industry a few years ago, backed by the brand's strength and status, its products quickly became a hit across the internet. Every new release stirs up a wave in the beauty world. For those hot shades that are sold out everywhere online, come here and try your luck—you're sure to find them.
### Lane Crawford: A Place That Makes Women Lose Their Cool
At Chengdu IFS, the place where I spend the most time is Lane Crawford. Because it gathers fashion brands from all over the world, like a giant boutique store, with many of my favorite affordable luxury niche brands. Calling them "niche" might not be quite right, since they've already become globally popular. If you don't have these fashion items, you'd be embarrassed to call yourself a fashion blogger.
Encountering a giant panda at Lane Crawford
The wall behind me has the trendy By Far bag
The home section that excites me
Display in a corner, with a bit of a Pompidou vibe
I once wrote an article about niche brand bags and accessories. After posting, readers kept asking me where to buy them. Let me answer again now: all the brands mentioned in that article—By Far from Australia, Cult Gaia from Los Angeles, and that little white bag Strathberry that you guys kept asking about—are all available at Lane Crawford in Chengdu IFS!
Walking into a store that features designer brands
All recommended by fashion bloggers, you definitely won't be able to stay calm
### The World's Most Famous Giant Panda
If you want to choose a center within this "center of the universe," it would be the outdoor art installation of a giant panda created by sculptor Lawrence Argent. The artist himself named it "I Am Here," but locals affectionately call it the "Climbing Panda."
This adorable panda once appeared in New York's Times Square, becoming a must-see for tourists from around the world visiting Chengdu. As a result, there's always a long line of people waiting to take a photo with it. Want to know the best spot to snap a picture with the panda without queuing? Keep reading.
### An Artistic Courtyard
Where is the "Climbing Panda" trying to climb to? It's heading to a large courtyard—the sculpture courtyard, full of artistic flair. Chengdu IFS specially invited 10 renowned artists from home and abroad, including Lawrence Argent, Zhou Chunya, and He Duoling, to design 12 sculptures for the courtyard, all on display here. A quality commercial space is definitely not just about eating, drinking, and having fun. It must use art to interpret the relationship between the city and its people, breaking down the barriers between commerce and life. Art will always be the highest level of human spiritual life.
Among them is the "Green Dog" series by Chongqing artist Zhou Chunya. Three paintings of green dogs sold for a staggering 20 million yuan. In the sculpture courtyard at Chengdu IFS, there's also a big green dog created by Zhou Chunya.
Every evening, as the scorching sun subsides, the sculpture courtyard comes alive. It's one of the destinations for local leisure and entertainment. Especially this year, with the rise of the "night economy," the sculpture courtyard has transformed into a night sky market. After dinner, people start gathering here. When the lights come on, vendors selling trinkets hang colorful lanterns, and crowds shuffle through, like a midsummer carnival!
### Art Party for Kids
Every year, for different periods, Chengdu IFS launches special events. This summer vacation, it prepared a cross-border art party called "New Gravity for Kids," full of color and childlike fun. Even I, an old young lady, joined in the excitement.
Earlier, I mentioned the best spot to take photos with the panda—it's the outdoor table of this restaurant. Don't think it's just about the "best photo spot." I tried the food for you, and it's of very high quality. I recommend all flavors of pizza and the Neapolitan seafood rice, as well as "Sicilian Sunrise," a salad with burrata cheese, which isn't easy to find!
The middle table is the best spot
It looks like the panda is hugging me while I eat
### Tomacado Flower Kitchen
This restaurant will surely catch the eye of anyone who loves beautiful things. Surrounded by flowers, it's both a flower shop and a restaurant. With floral decorations integrated into the dining area, complemented by Mediterranean-style arches, the atmosphere is incredibly romantic. Even though it wasn't mealtime, I couldn't resist stepping in and ordering a drink to sit down. I recommend their signature "Blue Butterfly," a magical color-changing drink: when you add lemon water, the liquid in the glass changes from blue to pink-purple.
### FENDI CAFFE
I heard that Chengdu IFS once had a pop-up of Café de Flore in Paris. Unfortunately, I wasn't in Chengdu then and missed it. But Chengdu IFS never disappoints—such special pop-ups happen often. This time, I ran into FENDI CAFFE. By the time you visit, who knows what exciting pop-up you'll encounter?
The round table directly facing the FENDI store is a nice spot
### Warm and Thoughtful Services
Beyond the standard services of a large mall, Chengdu IFS deserves special mention for being a pet-friendly mall—not only are pets allowed inside, but they even provide pet strollers. It's rare to find a shopping mall in China with an AED (automated external defibrillator), and Chengdu IFS is one of them. They also offer free facial-recognition lockers: simply scan your face to open a locker and store your heavy belongings.
### Exclusive Tourist Benefits
From now until December 31st, tourists can exchange their travel tickets/orders with a destination of Chengdu for a ONE-DAY PASS gift pack, which includes the "VIP Day Pass" shopping privilege program exclusive to Chengdu IFS visitors. The gift pack includes: free direct access to popular scenic spots, exclusive discounts at 40 brands, discounts on popular dining, free all-day parking, and tax refund services for foreign visitors and those from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
During dinner, I got another surprise. My friend and I randomly walked into a Shanghai restaurant called "Xiao Nan Guo," where I finally got to eat the crab roe I've been craving. You know, in the southwest, there aren't many restaurants that serve crab roe, and even fewer that do it authentically.
As I left the mall at night, I noticed that the trees planted around during the day were now lit up with little round lights, dazzling and beautiful, as if the glory of the "center of the universe" never fades. I wonder what surprises IFS will bring me next time I return to Chengdu.
— E N D —
Travel Notes Directory:
1. Shopping spree at the center of the universe
2. Art as the highest level of life
3. Eating and drinking here
4. Warm and attentive services
Travel Information: Hotel Index, Guide Index, Flight Index, Website Navigation, Travel Index, Cruise Index, Corporate Travel Index, Franchise Cooperation, Affiliate Alliance, Friendship Links, Corporate Gift Card Procurement, Insurance Agency, Agency Cooperation, Hotel Franchise, Destination & Scenic Area Cooperation, More Cooperations
About Ctrip: Ctrip Highlights, Contact Us, Careers, User Agreement, Privacy Policy, Business License, Security Center, Ctrip Content Center, Intellectual Property, Trip.com Group Algorithm Announcement
