Calvin Klein Hangs on Shanghai Roadside

Did I not notice this on my previous visit to Shanghai last year, or is it a new phenomena? There is washing strung across major roadsides, in front of nice parks (which are rare to find in this city of concrete any way), and just about everywhere. The other day my son complained to a policewoman about it (in Mandarin of course) but she explained lightheartedly: what could people do when they live in tiny places that do not have any facility for spreading the washing to dry out? It has to be on the roads! I guess it is just this contrast here that appears very strange. A city that is at the same time so glamorous...mostly, but is also lacklustre in other ways. But hey who am I to complain...I have been living with these contrasts in Karachi all my life!