Expats who rely on the material comforts of home may be disheartened to hear that ShopWeShip.com, previously known as Dong-Xi.com, has just announced that it will soon be discontinuing its services.

ShopWeShip.com was first established to give Chinese residents access to e-commerce sites that only shipped to US billing addresses. Back then, our options were few – we could hardly find quality Western food around town, let alone chic clothes from mid- to high-end retailers.

“There are no straight lines on a woman’s body / Her beauty is in her curves,” reads this young Chinese brand’s website. It’s a decidedly inflammatory stance in the high fashion world, an industry largely occupied by waif-like women and shapeless clothing. And yet Minijupe’s founder, Dodo Mai, cites her admiration for the female body as the main impetus behind her work.

The first thing you should understand about The Drive-Thru is that it’s not a bar. They do have a great selection of beers, starting with Kingfisher at RMB 19, but it’s intended primarily for you to take home. There are a few seats, though, and you’re welcome to stay for a beer. Owner Ryan Johnston (founder of The Brick) expects to have Slow Boat Brewery’s beers on tap soon, and wants to operate a tasting bar offering a regularly rotated lineup of draft brews.

NLGX Design Store started out as a coffee shop that happened to sell T-shirts. Now nearly four years later, the local brand has evolved into a full-fledged apparel and design community. This month, they launch a much-awaited new store at the airport, as well as a new line (Kommute) designed specifically for Beijing’s bicycle commuter lifestyle. We spoke with co-founder Ed Hung about spandex, and the good and bad of a gentrified Nanluogu Xiang.

This year all eyes were on China’s consumer market. But what was happening on the inside? Revolutionary growth for the fashion and design industry, that’s what. We scoured our archives and identified the key developments in the local style scene from 2011.