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)
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