Hong Kong shopping guide

The unique history of Hong Kong's in the 20th-century as a city-state and the crossroads of East and West has left its mark on the way in which shopping is structured in the city, and the way in which people there shop. British colonialism in Hong Kong gave rise to a highly particular sense of fashion, midway between cutting-edge Japanese, Oriental ornate and European contemporary styles.
The transfer of sovereignty to China has not changed this fantastic city's relationship with fashion. Indeed, it has been a positive influence in the spectacular growth in interest in luxury and fashion in China, best reflected in Shanghai.
The distinguishing feature of Hong Kong is the sheer number of high-quality stores to be found in its shopping malls: such a concentration is to be found nowhere else in the world. Here, the top brands do not open independent stores on the high street as they do elsewhere in the world: rather, they are all to be found together in the city's malls.

CAUSEWAY BAY. The Causeway Bay area of Hong Kong Island has the highest concentration of urban fashion stores in the city. Brands such as A.P.C., Agnès b. and Diesel have stores side-by-side with multi-brands such as D. Mop. There is one multi-brand store in Hong Kong that deserves special mention for luxury fashion: Lane Crawford.

D-Mop, Causeway Bay

It is in this area that you will find the first of the city's great shopping malls, with its extraordinary selection of top brand stores: The Lee Gardens has two malls that bring together the most prestigious designers, including Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tod’s and Valentino.

ADMIRALTY AND CENTRAL. The Admiralty district, midway between Causeway Bay and Central, just past the historical red-light district of Wan Chai, offers only one point of interest for fashion lovers, albeit an excellent one: Pacific Place, one of the city's benchmark shopping malls.

In the financial district of Central stands another reference point for shopping. The Landmark, Alexandra House, Chater House and Prince’s Building make up a great Mall distributed across four buildings interlinked by walkways. Practically all the major luxury brands can be found here, including Prada, Marc Jacobs, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Fendi, Dries van Noten and Michel Kors among others. The true scale of the mall becomes clear when you realize that it contains one of the world's fastest expanding department stores: Harvey Nichols.

Yves Saint Laurent, Central

Beside the bay, at the foot of the beautiful skyscraper designed by Cesar Pelli for the International Financial Centre, is another fine shopping centre: IFC Mall, featuring such names as Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, Hugo Boss, Ermenegildo Zegna and Givenchy among others.

KOWLOON. Crossing Victoria Harbour on the ferry to Kowloon is an excellent way of appreciating the true scale of the skyline of Hong Kong Island. In Tsim Sha Tsui the bustle of the city is even greater, but the area is just as interesting for shoppers. Along Canton Road you will find Harbour City, the biggest mall in the city, which contains stores of all types including the multi-brand Joyce, a benchmark for its type in the city with four stores. The brands to be found there include Marni, Comme des Garçons, Chloé, Balenciaga, Maison Martin Margiela, Viktor & Rolf and many others.

Harbour City, Kowloon

Other malls on the same street include DFS Galleria. Perpendicular to Canton Road is One Peking, another mall featuring major brands. And you should not leave this exciting city without visiting The Peninsula, one of the best hotels in the world, whose shopping arcade offers an extraordinary selection of brands in line with its prestige.