By PERCY PARKER

Bright lights: Nanjing Road is one of the main avenues in a city that is bigger than Beijing


I'm a genuine enthusiast for the short city break. Having enjoyed the odd weekend in New York, it seemed a good idea to extend the concept to places further afield. So when my fashion company was asked by the World Fashion Organisation to take part in Shanghai Fashion Week, it gave us the perfect opportunity to attempt a real long-haul city break.

Daily direct flights are readily available and we flew out on Virgin Atlantic. We were lucky enough to use the Virgin Upper Class lounge at Heathrow and it made all the difference. The look is a little 'Seventies groovy' but the on-site Cowshed spa and waiter service really sets it apart. Book your treatments on entry and relax with a cocktail or two before departure.

The flying time was more than ten hours, but once you've eaten, watched a couple of movies, soundly beaten seat 11C at battleships and taken 40 winks, it's pretty much breakfast time and into the descent.


Speed unlimited: The pacey Maglev train links Shanghai airport to the centre of town


Travelling through the city at night is an experience. The network of concrete flyovers and monolithic tower blocks jump into life once the sun goes down as they are covered in competing arrays of neon and LED displays. With the traffic on the freeways rarely moving faster than a snail's pace, you almost appreciate the time it takes to get anywhere.


The bling's the thing: Shanghai has a hip edge to it, especially during Fashion Week


An early call the next morning had us en route to the Shanghai International Fashion Centre for our model casting. Taking your catwalk show abroad can be a hit-and-miss affair, depending largely on the professionalism of your hosts. But we were very lucky as top show producer Vicky marshalled the hair and makeup teams, dressers, models and helpers with consummate ease.

With only the fittings to finalise on the morning of the show, we took the chance to head to one of the city's many spa/parlours, Dragonfly. The 90-minute massage wasn't the vigorous knot-clearing experience hoped for, but it was certainly relaxing enough. Coming in at about £20, it was great value, too. That evening, we attended the Fashion Week gala dinner. We were treated to a surreal live performance from a troupe of musicians playing water-filled drums, which was topped off by a catwalk show featuring the work of local designers.

Back at the show venue, everything was taking shape. The glitterati of the Shanghai fashion scene filed into the space and took their seats. Designers from Argentina, India and Italy, as well as local talent, were all on display before the finale - my PPQ brand. A flurry of interviews and meet-and-greets were followed by a final dinner at the magnificently over-the-top tang Dynasty Restaurant on Nanjing Road.

One last morning before the afternoon flight allowed us to sample the city's retail delights. Luxury label shopping can be had at Plaza 66; meanwhile one of the many street merchants will be only too glad to lead you through a warren of rooms to uncover, shall we say, the 'less expensive alternatives'. All within a ten-minute walk of the JiA hotel.

Taking a cab usually costs no more than £1.20 for most journeys. Just make sure your destination is written in Chinese for the driver - ask the hotel concierge to do this.


Travel Facts
Virgin Holidays + HIP hotels (0844 573 2460, www.vhiphotels.co.uk) offers three-night trips from £999, including return flights, transfers and accommodation at the JIA Shanghai. Prices are based on departures until January 25, 2011.


source: dailymail