Fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 is opening their Hong Kong flagship store steps away from the busiest intersection in Causeway Bay. The shop will have six floors, and is located on a pedestrian path that couldn’t be better situated for capturing the neighborhood’s high foot-traffic.

The prime retail location is on the main route between two parts of Causeway Bay, the SOGO department store area, and the Times Square shopping mall side. As if that wasn’t enough, the Forever 21 store is also directly across from exit F of the Causeway Bay MTR station, which guarantees yet another steady flow of traffic throughout the day.

This will be the very first Forever 21 store in Hong Kong, so a high-profile location is warranted. However, it doesn’t come cheap! Forever 21 will be paying nearly $11 million Hong Kong dollars per month in rent.

In six months time you can expect this part of Causeway Bay to become teeming with even more shoppers (if that’s possible!). A short walk away is the new Hysan Place shopping complex that will add a massive amount of prime retail space to the neighborhood. The anchor tenants include a DFS flagship and Hong Kong’s second Apple store.

Forever 21 Hong Kong flagship store
5-19 Jardine’s Bazaar
Capitol Centre
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong (directly outside of Causeway Bay MTR station exit F)

Faced with losing the lease on their iconic flagship location in Central’s Pedder building, (ousted by an absurd bid by Abercrombie & Fitch,) Shanghai Tang has proven once again that they’re resourceful and innovative.

In a stroke of retailing brilliance, the brand has opened up shop in a series of Mongolian gers (which are large round tents,) on the rooftop of the Lamma Island ferry pier in Central.

Not only interesting to look at, with geometric patterns painted on the sides, the gers also provide a unique and fun shopping experience. Patrons explore by walking from tent to tent, browsing different categories in each, such as women’s wear, men’s wear etc..

The interiors have been immaculately furnished, with great attention to detail, matching Shanghai Tang’s signature style.

Despite a light rain on Tuesday night, there was a large turnout for the opening that comfortably filled the tents with people.

After perusing the merchandise, the majority of guests gathered under a large back tent to socialize and admire the spectacle of the gers surrounded by Hong Kong’s high-rise landscape. Several Mongolian performers roamed about, though they didn’t get to perform a big show due to the rain.

The night was very successful, as was the concept. The gers make the collections easy to digest, and the circular spaces are fun to browse.

The Shanghai Tang Mongolian Village will be open daily until December 31st.

Shanghai Tang Mongolian Village
Rooftop, Lamma Island Ferry, Pier 4 (walking distance from IFC Mall.)
Central, Hong Kong

Open daily until December 31st, 2011

The interior of a ger, cleared out for the opening party

The iconic Shanghai Tang flagship in the Pedder Building

Was it the lure of fashion darling Olivier Theyskens or something else that packed Lane Crawford, Canton Road last Wednesday night? Though the store went against conventional wisdom by holding the reception on Kowloon-side, (during the height of rush hour!) the entire space was buzzing with Hong Kong’s most sought after names.

The crowd reflected the city’s new social vanguard, tai-tai’s were greatly outnumbered by Hong Kong’s young, cosmopolitan class. The sprawling store, which recently underwent a renovation, was packed end-to-end with fashionable professionals who personified the target of the Theory brand.

As we have noted before, Lane Crawford has been a catalyst for change in Hong Kong. They have worked aggressively at cultivating the same type of scene you will find in major fashion capitals around the world. Events like Wednesday’s Theyskens’ Theory launch prove the extent of their success.

What was it like inside the event?

Lane Crawford’s gatherings indicate that Hong Kong that is now assuming a role in Asia once solely occupied by Tokyo.

As China has become the top consumer of luxury goods, Hong Kong’s position as China’s shopping capital has made the city seem like the center of the universe.

The speed at which information now travels has created a demand even for fledgling fashion labels. Young brands and designers are interested in international sales and Lane Crawford has positioned itself as the fulcrum for entering the China market.

The multilevel store uses a forest of abstract vertical shapes to divide the large open space.

Several life-long Hong Kong residents in the room remarked that they had never set foot in the Tsim Sha Tsui branch before. Though often snubbed by Hong Kong Islanders who have three of their own Lane Crawford branches to choose from, the truth is that Canton Road may now be the most dazzling high-end shopping area in the city. Even upon leaving the Theyskens event, there was still a twenty person line outside of Chanel!

A little background on Theory and Theyskens’ Theory

Theory represents the brilliant pairing of a no-nonsense fashion industry veteran, Andrew Rosen, and a critically acclaimed designer, Olivier Theyskens. Undermined by belt tightening at his previous posts, Olivier Theyskens joined forces with Andrew Rosen and lent his celebrated designer touch to the Theory line. His signature collection, Theyskens’ Theory, has benefited from the infrastructure provided by joining an existing, well-run fashion operation. Joining Theory has spared him the need to start from scratch to build distribution channels or develop production facilities, and instead Theyskens can focus on his design strengths.

Nicola Formichetti, creative director of Thierry Mugler has found the ideal muse in Rick Genest, a man whose full-body tattoos transform him into a living skeleton.

For a brand with a flair for theatrics and spectacle, the pairing with ‘Zombie Boy’ is a magical combination. Nicola Formichetti embedded Rick Genest in his latest campaign for Mugler and also featured him as the star attraction in their fashion show at Western Market on Thursday, August 25th.

Rick has the look of a vintage Coney Island sideshow performer. His unique tattoos are as captivating now as they would have been a hundred years ago. With imagery that mimics bones and internal organs, he almost looks as if he’s been dissected.

Watch the video of Rick walking out as the finale of the show:

Formichetti is a young fashion heavyweight who, in addition to his role at Mugler, is fashion consigliere to a little known singer named Lady Gaga, and also serves as the fashion director of Vogue Hommes Japan, and Uniqlo. (Does this guy ever get a day off?)

Making an appearance at a meet-and-greet at Joyce hours before the show, he was down to earth and friendly.

Nicola Formichetti, caught in mid laugh

Under Nicola Formichetti’s tutelage, Mugler has achieved a new level of notoriety. His relationship with Lady Gaga has brought fashion that would normally exist only briefly on the runway to the masses, and helped re-establish the label as a provocative force.

Mugler clothing is available at Joyce in Hong Kong. For store locations, go here.

Hot Japanese brand SLY is holding a party titled Cat Girl Glamour on Thursday night at KEE Club. For the occasion they are having veteran DJ Dee Montero, formerly of Renaissance and Pacha in Ibiza, headline the night. Also on the wheels is Mr. Ivan Sit, one of Hong Kong’s well known soulful music fanatics.

SLY is the sister label of Moussy, part of the Shibuya 109 scene, which we’ve covered before here. SLY’s 2011 Autumn and Winter theme is Cat Girl inspired, hence the party’s name!

The Cat Girl Glamour party is by RSVP only. If you’re interested in attending, please call KEE at 2810-9000 to put your name on the guest list. The party begins at 9pm and will have free flow champagne for the first two hours (while supplies last!).

(We only wish it was a Cat Girl costume party!)

SLY presents Cat Girl Glamour
featuring DJ Dee Montero and Mr Sit
Thursday, August 18th, 2011
KEE Club
6/F, 32 Wellington Street
Central, Hong Kong
Starts at 9pm and goes late

Just after a whirlwind week of art events, Friday night brought a score of fashion happenings around town. From the S.Nine pop-up shop in Soho, to Korean heat-throb Rain gracing the MCM store opening, to the glow-in-the-dark jewelry of Tom Binns, the city was buzzing with activity.

S.Nine pop-up store opening

The night began on lower Elgin Street at the pop-up shop of the S.Nine brand. The N.Y. trained designer, Susanna Ngao was in attendance, presiding over the bustling store.

There was a line at the dressing room for much of the night!

The well-attended opening included goodies typically only found at luxury events, such as customized cake lollipops!

S.Nine pop-up shop
G/F, 8 Elgin Street (near Hollywood Road)
Central, Hong Kong

Jewelry designer Tom Binns at On Pedder

With his creations adorning high-profile individuals such as Michelle Obama, jewelry designer Tom Binns is currently gaining lots of attention. At Friday’s event, On Pedder had installed a special dark room to view the designer’s necklaces in all their glow-in-the-dark glory.

Encountering a blue-light wearing one of his pieces would definitely generate conversation!

Tom Binns at On Pedder
1/F, New World Tower
18 Queens Road
Central, Hong Kong

MCM store opening

Just down the street on Queens Road, MCM held their grand opening with Rain and Sammi Cheng doing the ribbon cutting. During the in-store event that followed, models posed in an interesting peek-a-boo routine with MCM’s signature line of monogrammed bags.

MCM Hong Kong flagship store
Basement, Entertainment Building
30 Queens Road
Central, Hong Kong

Friday night saw the opening of WOAW!, a very impressive pop-up store for fashionable eyewear, curated by Kevin Poon of CLOT. The shop is stocked with hard-to-find brands and is located on ‘Food Street’ in Causeway Bay’s Fashion Walk.

Fashion-conscious Hong Kong is obsessed with accessories that illustrate personal style, and perhaps nothing is more conspicuous than eyewear!

Eye glasses give off an immediate impression. Distinct, stylish eyewear (with or without lenses!) helps you stand out from the crowd and broadcasts personality.

Eyewear is also popular with collectors, as it takes up less space than shoes!

The massive selection of brands includes: Graz, Subcrew by Mikli, Garrett Leight, Karen Walker, Illesteva, Theirry Lasry, Colab, Benjamin Eyewear, Han Kjobenhavn, Andy Wolf, and Effector.

Highly recommended!

WOAW eyewear pop-up store
Shop C, G/F
Food Street, Fashion Walk
42-48 Paterson Street
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Few in the crowd that packed Hong Kong’s Four Seasons ballroom on Friday night were familiar with American fashion designer Tory Burch.

Opening a store in Central’s IFC shopping mall in December 2010, the brand is still establishing itself in the city, its first foothold in Asia. As is the case with most brands looking for expansion in flat economies, all roads point to China.

The last few years have brought a wave of newer designers to Hong Kong’s shoppers. A kick-off event in the city is a good investment, as enlisting the right celebrities, models and personalities, covered by a broad range of media, helps disperse brand-awareness throughout the region.

Tory Burch fashion show

Though the event featured a presentation, rather than an actual fashion show (with the models just standing in place, slightly dancing,) the crowd responded to the music and got excited. Perhaps this alternative approach was a stroke of genius, as scores of iPhones and Blackberrys could be seen in the air, capturing the models’ outfits.

Using the same d.j. who presided over American president Obama’s inauguration party, the skillfully chosen tunes kept things lively throughout the night. New York-based DJ Cassidy was a smart choice as his party-friendly music also appealed to the broad age range in attendance.

The designer, and brand namesake, Tory Burch, posed with party-goers for easily thirty minutes after the show. This kind of personal attention goes a long way in creating a bond with consumers, especially in today’s Weibo and Facebook social-networked climate.

For a look at the finale of the presentation, check out the video here:

Tory Burch store
Shop 2065, IFC Shopping Mall
Central, Hong Kong

Opening not one, but two splashy flagship stores recently, Hong Kong’s I.T Ltd. is making its case for top fashion retailer in greater China.

The city’s Causeway Bay neighborhood, an international shopping mecca, is home to the new One Hysan I.T flagship store. The launch, which took place on April 26th, included spotlights illuminating the sky, and an overflow crowd of celebrities and fashion folk.

As confetti littered the nearby streets, multiple performances took place inside, entertaining a steady stream of guests.

The line to enter curled for over one block!

The side-shows for the night included some H.K. firsts, such as living toy-soldiers; a boxing match; a crystal ball reader; tap dancers and light-writing, to name just a few of the attractions.

The four-story shop has a circular design on the two top floors, with alcove-like boutiques off of the main concourse. The mini-boutiques are occupied by brands such as Beauty & Youth by United Arrows, and Journal Standard. One corner of the building is dedicated to A Bathing Ape, the company’s recent foreign acquisition.

Strong ties to Japanese fashion leaders

As we have mentioned before, I.T has a very strong relationship with an array of top Japanese brands, covering everything from casual wear all the way up to high fashion. This collaboration now extends deeper into China with the opening of the new I.T Beijing Market. The word ‘market’ in the store’s name reflects the collaboration with designer Rei Kawakubo, whose London-based Dover Street Market is a famous multi-brand wonderland.

The I.T Beijing Market is a stand-alone building in Beijing’s Sanlitun neighborhood.

It occupies a prominent location inside the luxury ghetto of the thriving Village shopping development. Sleek and contemporary, it bears a heavy Japanese high-fashion influence.

Inside the building is an expansive selection of Comme des Garcons collections, with additional brands displayed, all utilizing an equally creative layout. Similar to Hong Kong, A Bathing Ape has its own store, located in the lower section of the building.

For more information on I.T, check out our post about their 20th anniversary, or their fashion show at The One.

I.T One Hysan flagship store
1 Hysan Avenue
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

I.T Beijing Market
1/F-4/F, N5, Village North, Sanlitun Village,
No.11 Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang District
Beijing, China

As Opening Ceremony, the innovative fashion retailer (and brand,) made its debut in the glitzy halls of Lane Crawford, few guests realized that the New York powerhouse actually owes part of its success to destinations on Kowloon-side.

It might come as something of a shock to many of the fashion elite congregated at the IFC flagship, that an innovative technique that helped propel Opening Ceremony to the top of fashion heap was in fact derived from Tsim Sha Tsui’s scrappy mini-malls.

The shop-within-a-shop aesthetic, perfected by Opening Ceremony, comes from the founders’ experience visiting Hong Kong and searching out young indie fashion designers.

Beginning in the late 90′s, places like Rise Commercial Building, just off Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, contained dozens of local designers spread out over several floors. With each shop occupying a space no bigger than a closet, it was possible for shoppers to experience an entire fashion universe walking along a single floor.

Hong Kong’s high rents were the reason for the mini-mall phenomenon. Being located upstairs in a commercial building, away from the street, allowed for cheaper rents. This unique way of compartmentalizing a shopping center into tiny shops, lowered the barrier to entry for new blood, and attracted customers by offering a massive number of choices in a single location.

It also emphasized creativity. Shops competed to lure potential customers by the ingenuity of their interior design and their unique displays. The result was a powerful use of a small space, and an exciting shopping experience for consumers.

While Hong Kong shoppers often prefer convenience and sterile shopping malls, sophisticated New Yorkers such as Opening Ceremony founders, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, were likely fascinated by the hunt for something distinctly local and the feeling of exploration provided by the mini-malls’ alternative shopping experience.

For more on mini-malls in H.K., go here, for a little background on Opening Ceremony’s ties to Hong Kong go here.

Donuts, hot-dogs, Opening Ceremony x Lane Crawford!

Food took a close second to fashion at the launch of Lane Crawford’s collaboration with Opening Ceremony. Along with props such as a faux New York City street-scape, there were numerous food and drink stalls setup around the massive IFC retail space.

In addition to perusing Opening Ceremony’s vast lines (including cross-over projects with Rodarte, Pendleton, and Chloe Sevigny, who was in attendance,) guests made their way between stalls, sampling delicacies such as donuts, mini-burgers, hot-dogs, cookies and ice-cream.

The line for gelato was particularly long!