Sadly, several of the interesting single-building boutiques tucked neatly away at the end of On Lan Street are being forced to move out. Walking on nearby Ice House Street the other day, I was shocked to see new Comme des Garcons, Martin Margiela, and Neighborhood stores under construction.

What happened?

The charming old buildings that house the notable boutiques have been sold (and will soon be demolished!) Regardless of whether you’re a fan of the brands or not, it’s disappointing to see an interesting section of Central’s landscape disappear.

The end of On Lan Street is currently a quaint, low-level oasis in hectic, high-rise Central. Though none of the above stores have been there long compared to D-Mop, the high-fashion retailer that anchors the block, the I.T. Group did a noteworthy job designing the boutiques and bringing a special vibe to the street.

Glancing at a map of shops in the area resembles looking at a Monopoly board – with I.T. operated shores occupying most of the properties! Over the last three years they have built up a major section of Wyndham Street (intersects with On Lan Street,) and made it convenient for people to browse high-end fashion brands (in separate shops,) all within easy reach. Together, the two streets have brought a much needed contemporary edge to Central, which, for a while, seemed to be overtaken by Causeway Bay.

The transition to the new location is apparently going to be fast. The notice on the windows of Comme des Garcons and Martin Margiela mentions December! No wonder it looked like they were working in a hurry when I walked by.

One thing about the older stand-alone buildings that will surely be missed is that the brand had full control over the facade.

Billionaire Boys Club with rocket ship exterior, Hoods Hong Kong in black

In the case of the On Lan Street shops, I.T. did a fantastic job endowing each one with a branded personality. Attached to a larger, multi-tenant building, it will be very difficult to recreate something similar.

One question I was left asking – does this mean that the Billionaire Boys store will cease to exist, or just relocate to a new area? The Ice Cream / Billionaire Boys Club store is one of the most impressive boutiques in the city. From its interesting exterior, to its multi-level themed decor (including ice-cream sandwich benches,) it’s a textbook definition of a well-branded shop.

We’ve covered the growth of On Lan Street extensively over the years. Follow the links to read our previous coverage about Ice Cream / BBC, Martin Margiela, Deep Anger, Neighborhood, Dsquared, and Hong Kong flagship stores in general.

European and American luxury brands once viewed shopping malls as the opposite end of the spectrum. Malls were derided as down-market, lacking in ambiance, sterile, suburban, and without unique value.

But in order to reach their target customer most efficiently, they have had to compromise. Particularly in Asia, there are occasionally differences between the label’s vision of luxury and the shopping patterns of consumers.

One crucial area where this rift surfaces is in choosing a location for a flagship store.

Traditionally, fashion houses favored stand-alone shops where they could create a total environment based around the brand’s identity. But in many cities in Asia, luxury consumers prefer a shopping mall above individual shops.

This is partially out of necessity due to the sprawling nature of the cities, as well as problems such as traffic and street crime.

In many big cities, shopping centers are viewed as the height of modernity and exclusivity. They represent a safe haven away from the chaos of city streets. Luxury consumers, particularly from South East Asia, prefer a sterile, controlled environment, distant from the traffic, masses, pollution and crime.

Though certainly less threatening than its regional neighbors, Hong Kong offers interesting hybrid solutions that are a compromise of both stand-alone and shopping mall location.

One example that immediately comes to mind is Agnes b.’s La Loggia. Situated inside the IFC shopping center, La Loggia is remarkable on several levels. First is its impressive size – La Loggia practically takes up an entire wing of the building. Second is the amount at which they’ve been able to customize the surroundings.

Once inside, you feel as though you’re not in a shopping mall, but ensconced in an Agnes b. world. This is difficult to do because many things such as lighting and floors, etc. are typically standardized in shopping centers. Creating La Loggia, they were given considerable freedom in changing basic elements. They even constricted the normal passageway of the mall.

For more photos, check out my first impression of Agnes b.’s La Loggia here.

Being attached to, or housed in a shopping center does offer several advantages over a stand-alone shop.

Stand-alone stores are destination shops that require specific effort to visit, but being located in a mall allows consumers to wander in while they browse multiple brands freely under one roof. This perhaps makes shoppers more likely to visit, which leads to greater foot-traffic and ultimately more sales.

There can also be significant collateral visits since shopping centers in urban Asia also serve as transportation hubs or are home to major office towers.

Below, Louis Vuitton and Gucci anchor different ends of The Landmark shopping center in Central.

Louis Vuitton’s largest flagship, located on Canton Road, is attached to the extensive Harbour City / Ocean Terminal mall.

On Lan Street: a stand-alone oasis in Central

Another interesting case in the opposite direction is On Lan Street.

A small, dead-end street, it’s been taken over by a row of high-end boutiques including Comme des Garcon, Martin Margiela, D Squared, Mihara Yasuhiro, Neighborhood, Ice Cream / Billionaire Boys Club, Ann Demeulemeester, and several others.

The shops occupy old townhouse buildings that are four stories tall. With D-mop, a high-fashion retailer on the opposite side of the street, as well as Diesel and Visvim just around the corner, the densely-packed location is a special shopping experience that balances convenience with distinct, individual stores.

the facade of the Billionaire Boys Club / Ice Cream shop on On Lan Street

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

According to the information stenciled on the front of their store, Japanese streetwear brand Neighborhood will be opening their first Hong Kong shop on March 8th. The shop will launch with an exhibition from the 8th to the 24th. The Neighborhood store (currently under construction,) is located on On Lan Street in Central, which is slightly tucked away on a dead end. What other famous designers call On Lan Street home?

On just one side of the street there are numerous brand flagships including from end to front: Commes des Garcons, Martin Margiela, Miharo Yasuhiro, Ice Cream / Billionaire Boys Club, the Neighborhood shop (which is also known as Hoods Hong Kong,) Ann Demeulemeester, and Diesel, at the entrance of the street. The opposite side has a large branch of D-mop, the edgy Hong Kong fashion retailer.

As I passed by last week, workers appeared to be putting the finishing touches on the store. Here’s a look at the street!

Comme des Garçons

Maison Martin Margiela

Mihara Yasuhiro

Billionaire Boys Club / Ice Cream

Neighborhood / Hoods Hong Kong

Ann Demeulmeister

Diesel

Neighborhood store address:
On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong