It’s finally that time of year folks, and you know what that means, Presents. And if you’ve been very good this year, potentially you’ll get lots of it, either from loved ones or yourself. (Okay now that the cliched opening line is over and done with, lets be serious.) I’m talking about the SOHO SHOP WALK, timed rightly just weeks before Christmas. This big event is the second of its kind this year, and aims to get the shopping season started on the right foot, and we’re talking about introducing you to the indie boutiques and shops that define the SOHO/NOHO district as a unique and special shopping experience, relative say to big malls like IFC or Times Square.
Of course part of the big reason why this blog exists is to “push” Hong Kong via the “Wanderlisting” of interesting things to do around the city that one had no idea was happening in the first place. A ticket to SOHO SHOP WALK basically enable ticket holders to have a reason to visit all the participating shops on offer and to meet and greet with these independent shop owners as well as having a chance to buy certain items at a discounted rate while enjoying complimentary drinks and canapes.
Now, the only I danger I see with the SOHO SHOP WALK is the booze. Make sure your credit card doesn’t slip out. Multiple times. Or make sure it does. :) In any rate, we had a visit and friendly chat with a few store owners and boutiques around SOHO and NOHO, and here are a few of the ones participating with the SOHO SHOP WALK.
+ GENERAL STORE x STANDARD VINTAGE POP UP / Gage St. NOHO
I’ve written a few times about the General Store AND Standard Vintage on this blog. General Store carries hard to find turn of the century antiques and vintage pieces that are completely Americana. NOT Chinoiserie. NOT European. But Americana, which if you think about it, isn’t really available anywhere else in Hong Kong. The store is owned and operated independently by partners, and headed by Shelly Hayashi.
Standard Vintage is an online e-store which carries vintage dresses and fashion from Japan, and curated by my friend Andy Chow. The pop-up at General Store will mark his second pop-up this year, the first one being at Chai Wan.
PS. Thank you Shelly! My Interior designer friend, Inge, was able to find the right lamp for her client because of you! Thank you!
Shelly and Andy discussing their collaboration.
+ HALO / Gough St. NOHO
HALO is a very interesting shop. It carries accessories, trunks, and bags constructed and made with re-used or left-over leather from their furniture business, which turns what would have otherwise been waste, into a nice luxury consumer product. This is the environmental advantage. Additionally, these bags and accessories are displayed alongside other knick-knack and things that are really vintage and antique products. But whereas General Store is Americana, HALO is completely British in attitude and style. Check it out! They’re known for their really antique trunks which they’ve learned how to re-produce. Visual Merchandisers go to them for everything.
Lucas Vitale of HALO explaining their store concept.
On offer, leather wallets (perfect for gifts).
An old baseball glove. (Okay thats NOT British.)
Nice shopfront!
+ SIDEWALK / Gough St. NOHO
I’m actually a big fan of SIDEWALK and have been wanting to write about them for quite some time since they opened shop earlier this year. The flavour is very global, very stylish, with a truly editorially feminine take on a curation of goods and products. As if it was an InStyle Magazine come to life, and that’s a compliment! The curator in this case is Australian, Gaye Gibson, and she’s created this kind of wunderland of items and goods that you can take and use on your own travels. Additionally, she’s set up a cafe there with a great rolling exhibition of Contemporary Art on the walls. When we went to visit it was the work of photographer Laurent Segretier. This is one of the shops i’m truly excited about.
Cool shopfront.
Nice new maps on display in those colorful boxes. The map is that crumpled sheet in the top left of the display next to “Florence”.
I’m not entirely sure what it’s made of, but Gaye shows us that you can crumple this map and stuff it crumpled in our bag or pocket. And apparently it will not rip or stain. (Don’t hold me to this.)
NOHO is written on the map for Hong Kong. And apparently, Gough St. has “Hong Kong’s Best Coffee”.
Art by Laurent you can purchase at their cafe.
+ S.NINE / Hollywood Road
S.Nine is one of those boutiques that i’ve been really wanting to visit for some time now. Only because the owner, Susanna Ngao, is very much into Blogger engagement, and she’s an independent fashion designer, and I love creatives who go pursue what they want to pursue and learn how to turn it into a business. Susanna’s design sensibilities cater to women who love a bit of red-carpet flair but with a bit of a fierce feminist edge. Basically her clothes are meant to be worn by “power women” or at the very least women who want to look the part. Whatever the case may be it’s a bit of sensuality accented by interesting cuts and shapes as formulated by the S.Nine style.
S. Nine Fitting Studio on Hollywood.
Designer, Susanna Ngao
Some of Susanna’s more iconic pieces
+ SHOWTIME / Hollywood Road
Now here’s a very interesting shop. I’ve never been to Showtime before the preview, and my friends I always used to joke about this lingerie / adults “toy”shop when we’d looking at the shopfront’s window from the bars across the street. But actually when you go to the store, and have a chat with owner, Stefanie Chiu, there REALLY is nothing to joke about. Sensuality and what goes on in the bedroom is very serious business. There are a few “toyshops” all over Hong Kong, but none are as tastefully decorated or as well planned and designed as this one, which means every detail has been planned to offer the most comfortable environment for customers and their partners. Additionally, there’s a strong educational component to the shop’s concept with plenty of workshops and talks about different subject matters from pole dancing techniques… to other… techniques. Stefanie’s clients are very happy with her store’s offerings, and husbands come in all the time too to thank Stefanie bringing back the spice in their love lives.
These mannequins really make a presence from the bar across the street.
The library. Very educational.
The toy table. Apparently, Stefanie keeps the prices almost at wholesale levels.
Stefanie and her pet
+ MOUSTACHE / Aberdeen Street
Last but certainly NOT least, finally we get to talk about our favorite casual bespoke store for Men, MOUSTACHE. Actually there’s a big new post on them in the next few days within this blog in collaboration with Carmen Chan’s style blog, How I Met Your Style. But for now you can enjoy the sneak preview photograph below of shop owner and tailor, Ellis, fitting me for a Made-To-Order Jeans Line from Kurashiki, called Betty Smith.
theWanderlister+ in collaboration with Carmen Chan’s HIMYS for Moustache, November 2011
Aside from fabulous discounts, shoppers will also have the chance to win a host of generous giveaways, including an exclusive two nights’ stay at Knight on Wyndham with breakfast on the Knight’s Club terrace and dinner for four at Robata Zawazawa courtesy of GR8 Leisure Concept Ltd (valued at HK$12,000), luxurious skincare products from Natura Bissé and an exquisite jewellery set from ARA Jewelry of Korea sponsored by one-stop online boutique ShopDesCreateurs.com.
Other friends spotted at the preview, Nina from the General Store.
Shelly’s husband, Hiro Hayashi from Ralph Lauren. (Shhh… Hiro, don’t forget our Ralph Lauren Discount!) He’s wearing… erm… Ralph Lauren. I love knit sweaters.
Tricia Ling, coordinator of the SOHO SHOP WALK and social networker.
Very famous Chinese bloggers, Dotthy and KitB.
We ended the night at the epic SOHO pizza place, Paisanos. The only place in HK that carries NYC style pizza. Cheezy and Greasy just the way it’s meant to be.
ATTACK!!!
Pizza #1
and PIZZA #2
You think THAT’S a lot, the table next to us ordered a giant sized pizza! 2 Feet in Diameter!
Good times!
SoHo Shop Walk / Saturday 3rd December, 2-7pm / Ticket Cost: $200 (advanced) / $250 (on the day) / Each ticket includes 20%+ discounts at more than 30 Shop Walk retailers, free drinks and canapés, complimentary treatments from AVEDA and Natura Bissé and more.
Find out more or purchase your ticket now at www.shopwalk.hk
JJ.
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