It’s sale season in Hong Kong, one of the world’s top shopping destinations.

SHOPPING: Hong Kong calling

By Suzy Prince

24 July 2006

When it comes to world-class shopping, Bangkok’s got nothing on this former British colony

While Bangkok may be fighting to become the shopping hub of Southeast Asia, there is another city, just a few hours away by plane, that might be worth a weekend venture for serious shoppers. That city is Hong Kong, and right now it’s sale season in the former British colony, the perfect time to head there.

You may be wondering what Hong Kong has to offer that Bangkok doesn’t. Bangkok has enough Mulberry, Gucci, Dolce and Jimmy to satisfy the accessory cravings of even the highest of the hi-sos. It has plenty of markets and even some fun boutiques.

But let’s face it – Bangkok just can’t compete with Hong Kong when it comes to shopping. While Bangkok has a smattering of international brands, Hong Kong runs the gamut. Excited about the Zara shop opening in Siam Paragon? There seems to be one on every corner in Hong Kong (and they’re all offering great sales). MNG? Same. And there are mass market clothing stores you probably haven’t even heard of if you do most of your shopping in Thailand.

As for luxury shopping? Almost as good as Italy. Shops including the likes of Missoni, Kate Spade and Bottega Veneta beckon. You may find some of their pieces at the department stores here, but you won’t find the boutiques or come even close to seeing a complete season’s line.

Perhaps you’re not looking to drop tons of cash anyway? Fair enough, because Hong Kong has another shopping attraction that’s not readily available here. Outlets.

Ahhh… outlets. The hallmark of an evolved, sophisticated shopping city where smart consumers want not only to be part of the latest trends but also to save a bit while they’re at it.

The only frustrating thing about Hong Kong is that if you pop in for a weekend of serious shopping, you just won’t have enough time to hit everything worth seeing.

I recently spent an exhausting weekend of investigative reporting, touring just the outlets of Hong Kong. What I found is that the outlets tend to be in far away places, often a 15 minute cab ride from the nearest public transportation. You won’t find storefronts with big signs advertising their presence. Because they’re hidden away, they tend to be clean, organized and relaxed. You won’t find women tearing through racks of clothes or fighting over the last size here. The following are some of the best ones:

Space

Marina Square East, 2nd Floor Commercial Block, South Horizons, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong

• This is the Prada outlet, although you’ll also find products from its sister line, Miu Miu, and some stuff from Helmut Lang and Jill Sander. Like all the other Space outlets in the world, this one is hit or miss and the clothes and shoes tend to be from a few seasons back. Still, you won’t find better bargains on clothing or accessories.

Lane Crawford

Warehouse, 25th Floor, Max Mara Outlet 27th Floor (closed on Mondays) Horizon Plaza, 2 Li Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong

• From Space, take a five-minute cab ride to Horizon Plaza. It looks like an office building but inside you’ll find outlets for Lane Crawford and Max Mara. The Lane Crawford Warehouse is impressive. I found a good selection of Burberry casual wear from last season (most items priced under US$100), True Religion jeans (you’ll never find those here), Theory, Eileen Fisher, the list goes on and on. I also found a great selection of discounted designer shoes and bags, as well as high-end housewares items and furnishings.

The Max Mara outlet, a bit small, houses Max Mara, Max Mara Weekend, and i-Blue lines. Neatly organized, comfortable fitting rooms.

The rest of the building houses a variety of furniture and antique shops, a wine shop and café.

The Pedder Building

12 Pedder Street (Three blocks from the Star Ferry next to the Central MTR stop) Central, Hong Kong

• This outlet building in Central is one of the few that’s not out of the way. Look for discounted Chanel suits at some of the shops. Also check out Blanc de Chine and Shanghai Tang. Not outlets but these shops sell beautiful nouveau Asian style.

Esprit Outlet

Basement, Kaiseng Commercial Centre, 4 Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

• Just a block from the Star Ferry Pier on Salisbury, near the Peninsula Hotel. Good discounts on Esprit clothing, and a decent selection of sizes. If you’re looking for cosmetics, check out the Red Earth outlet inside.

Thai Day

I `d like to visit Hong Kong, but I doubt I`ll ever make it.

I had been to Hong Kong for few times for vacation long ago. Beside shopping, the food there was like heaven (unless you're muslim or vegetarian - what a shame :lol: ).

Since i always went there during end of the year or during chrismas (winter season), there was a lot of good/cheap bargain on summer clothes on a lot of branded clothes. The fashions keep on changing, so does the season. So basically all the shop rushing for price deduction + discounted sales on the clothes. Winter clothes will be cheap during summer but i always go there during winter season.