On Shanghai’s trendiest shopping street a glittering pink monument to the west’s faith in the Chinese consumer has just opened.

Inside the six-story Barbie flagship store an escalator carries curious Shanghainese up a long, pink illuminated tunnel echoing with recordings of giggling children and disgorges them into a plastic wonderland of frills and accessories. “100 per cent plastic beauty” reads a sign on the wall of the Barbie spa and beauty salon on the second floor.