--FILE--Chinese customers walk past fashion advertisements in a clothing mall on Qipu Road in Shanghai, China, 5 May 2011. Shanghai authorities are set to convert historic Qipu Lu market, a mecca for cheap clothes, into an upscale fashion center, reported Shanghai Daily. Situated on the border of Shanghais Huangpu, Zhabei and Hongkou districts, the Qipu Lu market, whose Mandarin pronunciation resembles cheap in English, is the biggest fashion wholesale market in Shanghai. Legend has it that its trading history can be traced to the Qing Dynasty (AD 1644-1911). Officials from Shanghais Bureau of Planning and Land Resources told Shanghai Daily that the kilometer-long street will be transformed into a creative, high-end fashion center with entertainment venues, parks and offices, plus an upgraded shopping mall for clothes.
