An hour and a half south-west of Shanghai, Hangzhou is the sort of Chinese city that has captured the imagination of a luxury goods industry eagerly looking for sources of growth.
The surrounding region is the hotbed of the newly-created private sector economy in China and boasts an above average concentration of millionaires. Meanwhile, the West Lake at the heart of the city draws well-to-do tourists from all over the country, as well as a steady flow of weekenders from Shanghai.
