New on the Block: Balmain

Balmain has opened the gilt-edged doors of its first Hong Kong store. The Paris-based luxury label had been available at Joyce, Swank and Lane Crawford, but the couture house's store can now be found in Harbour City....


P. Ramakrishnan
May 13, 2012

New on the block: Seed Heritage

For Hong Kong yummy mummies, and some severely fashionable tots, Seed will be an all-too familiar name. Seed Heritage, on the other hand, may not be.

The childrenswear and womenswear collections of the Australian brand are combined under that name, in the comfortable surrounds of stores in Queen's Road Central and The Peninsula hotel, both of which opened in January.

Launched in 2000 as a childrenswear store only, head designer Karla Fitzpatrick introduced a womenswear collection back in 2008.

"My design aesthetic is simple and graphic, with a strong focus on colour and print," says Fitzpatrick, "I like my collections to communicate a sense of fun, with relaxed, bohemian styling."

The stores have a warm and homely vibe and stock affordable casual clothing (T-shirts cost from HK$385 while dresses range from HK$385 to HK$1,895).

Sold from more than 75 outlets around the world as well as through an online store, the clothes' modern yet conservative quality is clearly a winner.

Seed Heritage is at 41 Queen's Road Central tel: 2577 0721; and The Peninsula hotel, Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2721 4638.

April 1, 2012
Byline: P. Ramakrishnan

3.1 Phillip Lim

Lim and her More than 400 points of sale in 55 countries later, a standalone 3.1 Phillip Lim boutique has opened its doors in Hong Kong at long last. The fashion label's 800 sq ft store in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, has all the latest goodies from the much-loved New York designer.

Architects (and brothers) Dominic and Chris Leong of Leong Leong Architecture, a New York-based design studio, have designed a curved interior that deceptively elongates the small store. Here stands the sixth dedicated 3.1 Phillip Lim store worldwide, following those in New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Seoul and Singapore.

"Hong Kong is one of the fastest growing markets in the world," Lim says. "So it made sense for us to open our international store here. I'm excited to be able to connect with our customers here on a more personal level."

Multifunctional bags, womenswear and accessories (no menswear yet) line the racks and shelves. Between the walls of marble with champagne gold accents lie reversible, light and airy dual-toned tops (HK$3,990), purses, clutches, leather bags (HK$2,990 to HK$8,590) and dresses, such as the flashbulb print dress (HK$6,190). Don't be fooled by the apparently simple ensembles, as the magic of Lim's designs largely lies in the silhouette and movement of the clothes. Inspired by the aerodynamics of a kite, there's a light and breezy feel to the latest spring-summer collection.

3.1 Phillip Lim is in Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2113 0311.

March 4, 2012
Post magazine,
South China Morning Post
Byline: P. Ramakrishnan

All right Jack

British brand Jack Wills, which helped create the zeitgeist of collegiate contemporary fashion, has opened its doors in Kowloon and Causeway Bay. Its "Fabulously British" flagship, in the newly revamped Leighton Centre, is emblazoned with the brand's signature pink and blue stripes and peppered with photographs, archival posters and curated paraphernalia with English roots. The hard- wood floors feature a hand-painted Union flag.

The chain was founded in 1999 by Rob Shaw and Peter Williams (the brand is named after Williams' grandfather, Jack Williams), both then in their mid 20s, in Salcombe, Devon. The pair wanted to create a brand that celebrated English heritage, but with a modern upgrade. With a gleeful viral marketing campaign aimed at students, the brand took off and now has 60 stores in Britain and 11 in the United States. Hong Kong is the first stop on its Asian migration.

The label has a tacit royal seal of approval: princes William and Harry and Kate Middleton have appeared in the pages of Hello! sporting the brand.

Standouts among the women's outfits, which range from quirky to cute, include the Orchard Bank dress (HK$5,040), which has a full skirt and bow belt. The Belford sequin dress (HK$10,100) will set you back a bit. For men, scarves, cardigans and flannel shirts line the racks. But for the dandy, there's the Brocton peacoat (HK$2,900) and Coxham classic flat cap (HK$490).

Jack Wills is in Leighton Centre, Causeway Bay, tel: 3105 1798; and Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 3101 9776.

January 1, 2012
Byline: P. Ramakrishnan (Ramakrishnanp@hotmail.com)

Filling the Gap: American behemoth GAP lands in Hong Kong

After a much ballyhooed billboard campaign, which has been staring down over large areas of Central for the past few months, GAP has finally arrived in Hong Kong. 

The soft opening of the brand's Hong Kong flagship store on November 25 created a hard-sell buzz, especially among shoppers familiar with this affordable fashion retailer, which first opened in San Francisco in 1969. 

Within its 15,000 sq ft of retail space, four floors of happy Americana can be found. On offer are the brand's age-specific collections, including Gap for adults, GapKids, babyGap, GapBody and 1969 denim, as well as loads of casual clothes (T-shirts, hoodies, tops, jeans) emblazoned with prominent Gap logos in a wide range of colours. 

Tees (HK$199), knitwear (men's and women's for HK$449 per item) and denim jeans (HK$299 to HK$549) will not break the bank. And with socks, underwear, leggings and undershirts at less than HK$100, the bare necessities seem like the best bargain. 

Gap is at 31 Queen's Road Central, tel: 2885 0789. 

Byline: P. Ramakrishnan

E:mail: ramakrishnanp@hotmail.com