Alchemists once sought unsuccessfully to turn ordinary materials into precious ones. The idea was to take something like common lead and make it into gold. Viewing a sample of Natalia Brilli’s accessories last week, I was struck at how she manages a similar formula – and succeeds.

The artist / designer takes common, everyday objects: a matchbook, a wallet, a passport case, etc. and transforms them into something precious.

Natalia Brilli has taken her formula and created an entire line of cool, witty products.

Rather than stop at one brilliant accessory, (such as her passport holder above,) the designer carefully expanded. This strategy maintains the dignity of her concept and protects her from copycat designers who could knock-off her approach with inferior takes.

The main riff in this collection is embossed outlines of the objects that the accessories contain. Examples include the passport holder, a wallet, and a laptop case. There are other pieces as well, all in the same black and silver leather. In some cases the items appeared almost dipped in leather!

Matchbook holders in silver and black leather, as well as a pill case pendant

As far as her interesting imprint technique, the closest I’ve seen to a similar approach is used with denim to make jeans look as though they were worn countless times with the same wallet or pack of smokes in the pocket. I would definitely identify her line as something different and unique.

During the event, someone made a remark to me about the price being high. I disagree. You have to keep in mind that these products are limited edition art. Natalia Brilli isn’t a major luxury goods manufacturer with massive world-wide distribution, but someone on the intersection of fashion, art and design. Unlike the major houses of luxury, you can’t buy her products everywhere in the world. We sometimes forget that Hong Kong has access to things that are available only in a handful of cities.

The reception, which Natalia Brilli attended, was held at the On Peddar store in Central.

The turnout was strong in part because it was also a collaboration show with Rock Candy, the Hong Kong jeweler company that I’ve previously covered. Rock Candy’s collection keeps expanding. They now have a silver line, in addition to gold, and their well known diamond pieces. One section of the On Pedder store featured an alcove dedicated to their work.

Intimate events like this provide a good way to increase quality foot traffic as well as gain word-of-mouth about products and the store. Along with a few guests I talked to, I was impressed with On Pedder’s selections. On top of the Natalia Brilli and Rock Candy offerings, there were distinct pieces scattered throughout the shop.

If you’re looking for high-end accessories, shoes, and non-traditional jewelry that borders on art, On Pedder is worth a look.

Natalia Brilli
On Pedder
G/F, Wheelock House, 20 On Pedder Street
Central, Hong Kong
Phone: 2118-3388

O.k., so the band’s real name is Housse De Racket, but you could have easily been mistaken after catching their live show on Sunday night. Brought in to perform at the after party for the new A.P.C. store in Central, Housse De Racket put on a memorable, rocking performance.

How many members are there in the band?

With just two members – one on drums, and the other on a combination of guitar and keyboard, the duo paraded through a strong set of upbeat, catchy songs.

Each track was brought to life with powerful, fast drumming and charismatic guitar playing. Fans of contemporary French Rock will immediately get the Housse De Racket sound.

The band was introduced by the founder of A.P.C., Jean Touitou, who himself is a major music fan. With just their debut album out, Housse De Racket are definitely on the rise. A.P.C. / I.T is to be commended for bringing over the band and exposing Hong Kong to something fresh and fun.

The pair from Paris both sang throughout the show, but it was their instrumentals that shook the crowd out of their Sunday lull.

With a warm, down-to-earth performance style, Housse de Racket were engaging and the crowd screamed for an encore.

The guests were moving more than usual (though probably not as much as Housse de Racket are used to!)

For a taste of the night’s vibe, have a look at Housse De Racket performing live (elsewhere).

The second floor of the F.C.C. (located in the same building as The Fringe Club,) is an interesting venue with a high beamed ceiling and brick walls. The space has a warm feel which was perfect for the intimate live show.

Continued growth

The A.P.C. store adds yet another partnership to fashion retailer I.T.’s shopping empire in Central. If you picture the intersection of Wyndham Street and On Lan Street like a game of Monopoly, I.T. owns most of the property!

Their collection of partners include big names such as Visvim, Comme des Garcons, Martin Margiela, Neighborhood, Junya Watanabe and A.P.C., to name just a few. Piece by piece, I.T. has created a fun, boutique-filled shopping destination that balances convenience with a historical urban setting. (This is a unique strategy that relates to my previous post about flagship stores.)

An hour before the concert began, there was a small event at the A.P.C. store on Wyndham Street. The shop featured French d.j. Koko von Napoo spinning to celebrity shoppers.

The store is a perfect match for the clothing – simple, well designed, and minimalist.

A.P.C.
G/F, 24 Wyndham Street
Central, Hong Kong

Dysemevas, the pop-up store showcasing designers from China launched last week on the Sheung Wan end of Hollywood Road. The opening night featured a solid turnout by Hong Kong scene-sters and fashion insiders.

Each week the shop will highlight a different set of designers under a specially organized theme. Coming this Tuesday is ‘Imaginarium’ featuring Yang Du, Winnie Lui, Daydream Nation and Bandi Panda.

The first installment, ‘Beauteous’, included clothing and ceramics.

The designers showcased were: Qiu Hao, Zhang Da, Among Strangers and Lin Jing. The two-story store includes a loft as well as the ground floor. For opening night, the clothing was displayed on the ground floor and the ceramics occupied the loft.

Next door to the shop is a party room with a small bar and space for mingling. A series of special events and parties will be held every week to coincide with the new theme. For more information and to learn about the next happening, check out the Dysemevas schedule.

The easiest way to get to Dysemevas is to take a taxi along Queens Road West to the intersection with Hollywood Road.

Dysemevas pop-up store
254 and 256 Hollywood Road
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Open until December 21st, 2008
Store hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 11 am – 8 pm, Sundays: 12 pm – 6 pm.

Even among trendsetters, Vivienne Westwood has had a colorful career. While other fashion designers mine Punk for inspiration, this pioneer actually lived it and helped define it!

Of particular interest is how she has evolved in over thirty-five years in fashion, and whether there are any discernible streaks that run through her entire career. Now is our chance to find out!

Hong Kong will be hosting a retrospective of Vivienne Westwood’s work that was originally shown in London’s illustrious Victoria and Albert Museum. The Hong Kong exhibit will be held in TaiKoo Place on Hong Kong Island from December 1st, 2008 to January 31st, 2009. This is an opportunity to catch an international-level look at a fashion icon. The show includes a vast collection of the designer’s work with over 140 designs and 70 objects.

Ask Vivienne Westwood a question!
Time Magazine’s Ten Questions blog is currently offering Vivienne Westwood fans the chance to ask the legend a question. You can go to their site and submit one, or simply read what others are asking about.

The exhibition provides the type of in-depth look that Hong Kong has rarely been treated to. Vivienne Westwood herself will be in town to attend the opening!

Vivienne Westwood: A Life in Fashion Exhibition
December 1, 2008 to January 31, 2009
ArtisTree, 3/F Cornwall House, TaiKoo Place
Hong Kong

Exhibition hours:
Monday to– Thursday: 10:00am – 8:00pm
Friday –to Sunday: 10:00am – 6:00pm
Free admission
By MTR, get off at Quarry Bay Station, Exit A

D-mop, Comme des Garçons, Martin Margiela, Billionaire Boys Club, and Hoods Hong Kong have a new neighbor. DSquared2 recently opened the doors to their new flagship store in the former Diesel space on On Lan Street in Central.

Founded by Canadian twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten, the pair moved to Italy in 1991 to pursue their dream of launching their own fashion label. Fast forward seventeen years and the brothers are international sensations, known for making clothing that combines Italian elegance with their Canadian roots.

Similar to how Ralph Lauren embraced elements of Americana in his work, instead of an American flag, the duo adds the Canadian Maple leaf to certain pieces.

In my casual glance around the two-level flagship space, I spotted several interesting items that evoke their Canadian sensibilities while paying homage to Italian fashion prowess. (Hong Kong is one of only a handful of cities to host a Dsquared2 flagship store. Milan, Capri, Kiev and Istanbul are the others.)

Even the design of the shop seems to be a combination of their dual identities. While most of the store features contemporary touches, the upstairs changing rooms have a warmer, cozier vibe and include something like a ski lodge decor with faux fireplaces!

The shop itself sells clever re-workings of items that combine their Canadian origins with their flare for finely tailored Italian luxury. A good example would be their clunky Canadian boots which look as if they’ve been given an elegant makeover.

Aside from fashion, the twins are also known to put their creative flair into staging elaborate shows and events. Hong Kong party-goers still remember the event from a few years back when they transformed a space into a diner with roller-skating waitresses!

Needless to say that fashion hounds are anxiously anticipating their event on October 17th to mark the official Dsquared2 Hong Kong opening.

Dsquared2’ address:
G/F, 4-6 On Lan Street
Central, Hong Kong

From November 11th until December 21st, Hong Kong will play host to Dysemevas, a pop-up store set in an emerging area along the far end of Hollywood Road.

The shop, with an expiry date of six-weeks, features work by ten designers who are based in China (inclusive of Hong Kong.) Each week the two-level store will highlight different combinations of designers and build around a particular theme.

What will they be selling?

The offerings include clothing as well as accessories and ceramics. Pieces range from high-end items to T-shirts. The brands / designers include: Qiu Hao, Zhang Da, Lin Jing, Daydream Nation, Yang Du, Bandi Panda, Rock Candy, Under Oath, The Year Of, and Winnie Lui. The Year Of and Rock Candy may already be familiar names to Hong Kong shoppers.

Though the designers are all China-based, there is a significant international flavor to the group. Many of them have been educated abroad at prestigious fashion institutions or have gained experience working for well known labels.

A good match for a pop-up

China-based designers have had a difficult time winning over local consumers. Shoppers here are notoriously fickle and many believe that foreign made fashion is better. There exists a problem of perceived value. The average shopper would rather pay the same price for a well known brand, than buy an equally priced item from a Hong Kong or China-based label. One solution to this dilemma has been to create limited edition items and keep tight control over the supply. This has worked for high-end street wear clothing company CLOT in the past. (Last year the police were called to their Devil-CLOT pop-up store to break up a near riot outside! You can read more about that store here and here.)

For two reasons, pop-up stores are a good solution for China-based designers in Hong Kong’s market: limited opportunity to buy adds exclusivity (and therefore perceived value) to the product; and a temporary store creates buzz yet avoids a high rent, long term contract.

Temporary stores nothing new to Hong Kong

Though ‘pop-up’ shops for fashion are a relatively new phenomenon in this city, Hong Kong has its own brand of temporary store culture.

Walking along the street on the way to check out the future Dysemevas location, I spotted two different Hong Kong style pop-up stores. Because of the city’s extremely high rents, opening a shop on the ground floor is cost prohibitive for the majority of businesses. Rather than simply let property sit idle between tenants, some landlords would rather rent their shops out to businesses temporarily. These shops sell merchandise that doesn’t require any atmosphere or special alterations to the space. Typically they sell fast-moving merchandise such as DVDs and also small household ephemera.

You can often spot these shops in high foot traffic locations.

A changing neighborhood…

The area at the far end of Hollywood Road, in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan neighborhood, has been undergoing change over the last few years. Old businesses that are remnants of the area’s past are starting to move to cheaper locations, or slowly fade away. The new businesses opening up tend to be boutiques, galleries, and other slightly yuppie-friendly establishments.

The Cat Street Gallery on 222 Hollywood Road, just up the street from the future site of Dysemevas, is a good anchor point in the area. Taking a different path than the amateurish galleries around town, the space clearly has its own vision. Walking by last week I saw several impressive works by Yuk King Tan (from New Zealand,) including a laser-cut sculpture of the HSBC lion that was stunning.

Next door, anchoring the Kush serviced apartments, may be Hong Kong’s coolest 7-Eleven. While not particularly large, the branch earns its rep by dispensing with the typical bright color scheme in favor of a slick-black finish.

The block where Dysemevas is located has several ground floor spaces currently undergoing renovation.

Dysemevas is made up of two adjacent sites located at the intersection of Hollywood Road and Queens Road West. The shop will open in 256 Hollywood Road, while a bar area will occupy 254 Hollywood Road, next door.

For more information and to read profiles of the designers included in Dysemevas, go here.

Dysemevas pop-up store
254 and 256 Hollywood Road
Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
(at the intersection of Hollywood Road and Queens Road West)
Opens November 11th to December 21st, 2008
Store hours: Tuesday to Saturday: 11 am – 8 pm, Sundays: 12 pm – 6 pm.

The Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, stopped by Hong Kong to launch the Spring / Summer 2008 collection of their Elizabeth and James line. The turnout for the event, held at the fashion retailer Lane Crawford, was strong. Local celebrities, fashion industry insiders, the party crowd and a small but enthusiastic gang of kids were in attendance.

Arriving thirty minutes after the event had started, Lane Crawford was surprisingly packed.

The event took place near the bank of escalators that serve as the main entrance to the upscale fashion retailer. A large area had been cleared out to accommodate the crowd and displays.

Mannequins featuring the Elizabeth and James line were sprinkled around the space. Walls of Polaroids featuring street scenes of New York were put together as well.

(There is something about New York’s urban environment that’s effortlessly iconic. A simple sign for a subway or even a snapshot of a manhole cover provides a strong statement.)

As an alternative to a typical runway show, the models were walking out amongst the crowd, posing and taking Polaroids with small groups of guests. This type of informal show is very effective. Not only do people get a chance to see the clothes up close, it makes for a more dynamic party atmosphere. People love to have their photos taken with models and once the photo was snapped, it was handed over to the party-goer. This gives them a souvenir photo featuring the brand that they can hold onto or perhaps show their friends. It’s a very ingenious way of building goodwill and gathering additional exposure for the label.

At two points in the night, the Olsen twins made brief appearances. Since there was no stage and the crowd was packed, it was difficult to see them. Due to these factors, there was little interaction between the girls and the crowd. The pair seemed a bit shocked at the turnout and the frenzy of cameras greeting them.

Despite the crush, they were good sports and stood around to be photographed with the models.

After the Olsen twins’ final appearance, the event slowly dwindled. I thought it would be the last I’d see of Mary-Kate and Ashley in Hong Kong. Little did I know that I’d bump into the pair the following night at the Bape Heads Show featuring Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Nigo!

I’m still catching up with everything that transpired last week. Wednesday night, Karl Lagerfeld, fashion designer extraordinaire, and lauded architect Zaha Hadid were on hand for an exclusive event celebrating the first stop of the Chanel Mobile Art tour.

The unique futuristic structure designed by Hadid can be disassembled and will remain on tour until 2010. The exhibition inside contains installations by twenty contemporary artists and will travel to just five other cities in the world.

The occasion brought fashion insiders from around Asia, as well as a hand-picked lot of Chanel Hong Kong’s top customers. The night featured revered music consultant Michel Gaubert from Paris and heavyweight French d.j. / producer Joakim.

The guest list was kept to a minimum though the space could have easily accommodated a larger turnout. The second level of the three-story parking structure had been miraculously converted into a Chanel party space. Featuring a huge video screen on one end, a long bar, ample seating, a VIP area, and two d.j. booths, the design was ready for a big bash.

The event began at 8:30, which is early for a Hong Kong festivity. Usually at this hour there is a reception followed by a fashion show that would start, say, close to ten. Since there was no fashion show, the focus for the night being the Mobile Art exhibition, the pacing for the evening was different than normal. With perfect weather and a dazzling structure before them, guests congregated on the rooftop near the pavilion, some unaware of the party space below.

When Karl Lagerfeld arrived, he quickly became the sun around which the rest of the crowd orbited.

With Zaha Hadid.

With actress Diane Kruger.

After a brief photo shoot in front of a large crowd of press, Karl was surrounded!

He managed to escape into Zaha Hadid’s pavilion, while many of the guests – wanting to be close to the living legend – continued to mingle outside the entrance to the exhibition.

By the time the crowd made their way downstairs, many had missed the interesting atmospheric music put together by Michel Gaubert for the night.

On deck next was d.j. Joakim who played a set that mixed contemporary songs with almost a Rockabilly sound.

Though the crowd enjoyed the music, the large venue kept the intensity level low, with pockets of people dancing in different corners.

At the end of the night, as the guests began to slowly exit, they were rewarded with a special Chanel Mobile Art tote with illustrations of the classic bag on one side, and the pavilion that Zaha Hadid designed on the other. Inside, the tote was filled with beautifully printed sets including bios of the artists and photos by Karl Lagerfeld of handbags. The images were packaged in a very creative envelope-inside-an-envelope structure in keeping with the exhibition’s handbag theme.

For my previous posts on Chanel Mobile Art please go here and here.

Wednesday night was the launch of the Adidas Originals / Diesel Denim collaboration. The event was held on Kingston Street in Causeway Bay in both the Diesel and Adidas stores which are adjacent to one another. With a live performance by 24 Herbs and a set by DJ Becareful (aka Sam Lee,) the party got off to a good start. The two large shops had been emptied out for the night’s party. Just how crowded was it inside?

COMPLETELY PACKED!!!

24 Herbs went on first, followed by DJ Becareful.

Maneuvering through the store was difficult. The performances took place on the top floor of the Adidas shop. Later, guests migrated back over to the Diesel store which also got stand-still crowded.

In addition to the drinks, the shop also offered popcorn and my favorite, cotton-candy!

Adidas and Diesel launched an advertising campaign for the denim line titled “83 Original Ways to Successfully Waste Your Time.” In Hong Kong, Daniel Wu, Lisa S., Sam Lee, and 24 Herbs among others were photographed by famed photographer Wing Shya in different time-wasting scenarios. All of the above were at the party on Wednesday night. Here are a few samples of the ads.

Inside the Adidas shop was a small three-striped pool table – has Racks spawned a new trend?

The party spilled out onto the street.

In the main window of the Diesel shop they had models participating in a pillow fight!

Last week I booked a ticket to check out the Chanel Mobile Art exhibition on opening day, Wednesday, February 27th. Getting there today was easy. Starting from the Chanel store in Central, I walked under the footbridge to get to the pavilion. The way was well labeled with signs.

Once inside the tunnel you take the second right and walk towards City Hall. Near the beginning of the parking structure I found the entranceway staircase and proceeded up.

I arrived early so that I could admire Zaha Hadid’s contemporary art container before heading inside. From its perch on top of a parking garage in the middle of Central, the Chanel Mobile Art pavilion has some pretty famous neighbors.

Gazing around there are buildings by I.M. Pei (the Bank of China,) and Norman Foster (HSBC Main Branch,) just a few blocks away.

I took photos of the futuristic structure next to other Hong Kong landmarks like the eighty-eight story IFC2 which looms above.

In Hong Kong, the tickets to the exhibition are free, but there is a $10 HKD processing charge for booking. The reason you need to book a ticket is to reserve a time slot. This is necessary since the walk through the exhibit incorporates a timed audio soundtrack. An important thing to realize is that it’s not an audio tour, it’s the audio portion of the exhibition. If you start exploring prematurely, you will throw off the experience and miss the interesting sound-scapes that were created to compliment the artwork.

Arriving at the first check point, you wait until they let you enter the check-in area. After presenting your ticket you can enter the coat check to check your bag. No cell phones, cameras, or large bags are allowed in the exhibition.

Next you exit again to proceed to the entrance just a few steps away. Here you are fitted with a set of headphones and a special mp3 player. As you receive the mp3 player, the attendees ask you which language you prefer. For Hong Kong I believe the choices included English, Cantonese and Mandarin, though they may include the languages of the additional countries on the international tour. Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to wait during the check-in process, they stagger the crowd to make it a comfortable viewing experience.

The first dialog you hear is a woman with a raspy voice, almost like the female equivalent of a Russ Meyer narration! The exhibition starts as you turn a corner and enter the first space. The floor below you is decorated in mosaics and there are several mobiles hanging. Here is where you need to get synchronized with the audio sound-scape. Don’t start exploring without hearing the cue instructing you to climb the stairs. The timing for the exhibition is well thought out and easy to follow once you adjust to it. Wait for the audio cues about when to leave. It gives very specific directions.

I don’t think it’s proper for me to give away any spoilers about the art inside, so I won’t do any detailed descriptions. The artwork is mostly installations, where the artist has created a space to amplify the experience, rather than simply leaving you to stare at a static canvas or frame.

The curator, Fabrice Bousteau, did an excellent job assembling a range of artists who interpreted the Chanel theme in a very loose way. Each artist went about their project from a different angle. The show is a success in its diversity.

Highlights for me included a 360 degree projection that worked well with the music; an interesting installation based on a reflection by Leandro Erlich; the Nobuyoshi Araki film; Lee Bul, an artist from South Korea’s use of details and space in her installation; and an over-sized Chanel bag with an exceptional video (both in content and tone) that was looped inside.

The last stage of the exhibition takes place under the pavilion’s atrium. This is where the clear sky-roof panels are visible when the pavilion is seen from above.

I actually went through the exhibit twice – once with the audio accompaniment and another time without any audio. The second time around I had more of a chance to take in small things on my own and to admire the wonders of the art container, which may be the real star of the show.

Looking around the interior of the building it didn’t disappoint. Inside it was a swirl of complex angles with interesting details. Even for a temporary structure, there were small elements such as Chanel-style quilted paneling and interesting railings in places. Just when you think you’d encounter a straight line, there would be another twist or curve. Part of the fascination with this is that most of our environments are confined to four straight walls at right angles. There wasn’t a single conventional space like that in Zaha Hadid’s pavilion.

At the end of the tour you’re presented with a special magazine – Hong Kong Chanel Mobile Art Issue #1. Exiting, I spent a few minutes walking around the perimeter of the structure taking photos before departing. With the exhibition open until April 5th, I’ll be back!

For more information check out my previous post here, or go to the Chanel Mobile Art website.

Featured artists include: Lee Bul, Daniel Buren, Blue Noses, David Levinthal, Fabrice Hyber, Leandro Erlich, Loris Cecchini, Michael Lin, Nobuyoshi Araki, Pierre & Gilles, Sophie Calle, Soju Tao, Stephen Shore, Subodh Gupta, Sylvie Fleury, Tabaimo, Wim Delvoye, Yang Fudong, Yoko Ono, and Y.Z. Kami.

The audio accompaniment was put together by Stephan Crasneanscki of Soundwalk.