Shopping A-Z

Ever since Hong Kong received a large influx of Shanghainese tailors following the revolution in China in 1949, Hong Kong has been a center for the fashion industry. Today, clothing remains one of Hong Kong's best buys, and many major international design houses have boutiques here; several have factories as well, either here or just across the border in Guangzhou. There are also a number of Hong Kong designers to watch out for, including Vivienne Tam, Walter Ma, Lulu Cheung, and Barney Cheng.

For a wide range in prices, the department stores are best for one-stop shopping for the entire family, as are Hong Kong's many malls and shopping centers. Otherwise, small, family-owned shops abound in both Tsim Sha Tsui and Stanley Market, offering casual wear, washable silk outfits, and other clothing at very affordable prices. Cheaper still are factory outlets and street markets .

If you're looking for international designer brands and don't care about price, there are several arcades and shopping centers known for their brand names. The Landmark, located on Des Voeux Road Central in Central, is an ultrachic shopping complex boasting the highest concentration of international brand names in Hong Kong, including Gucci, Tiffany & Co., Polo/Ralph Lauren, Manolo Blahnik, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Sonia Rykiel, Louis Vuitton, Lanvin, and Christian Dior, as well as British luxury import Harvey Nichols, restaurants, and other shops. The shops here are generally open daily from 10:30am to 7:30pm. Other nearby fashion centers known for their international designer boutiques (and linked to the Landmark via elevated walkways) include the Prince's Building, next to the Mandarin Hotel, with boutiques for a. testoni, Chanel, Cartier, and others; Alexandra House with outlets for Prada and Yves Saint Laurent among others; and Chater House, with several Armani shops that sell everything from household items to clothing and cosmetics. Across the harbor, The Peninsula hotel, on Salisbury Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, has concessions for Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Shanghai Tang, Prada, and Manolo Blahnik, to name only a few of the 80-some shops.

For trendier designs catering to an upwardly mobile younger crowd, check out the Joyce chain, the first fashion house in Hong Kong, established in the 1970s by Joyce Ma to satisfy Hong Kong women's cravings for European designs. Today her stores carry clothing by Issey Miyake, John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons), and others on the cutting edge of fashion. You'll find Joyce shops at 18 Queen's Rd. Central, Central District (tel. 852/2810 1120; MTR: Central); 334 Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Central (tel. 852/2523 5944; MTR: Admiralty); and Shop G106 in The Gateway, Canton Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui (tel. 852/2367 8128; MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui). Bargain hunters in the know head to the Joyce Warehouse, located on the south end of Hong Kong Island near Aberdeen, on the 21st floor of Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing St., Ap Lei Chau (tel. 852/2814 8313; bus: M590 from Exchange Square in Central to Ap Lei Chau). You never know what you may find among the discounted, off-season designer wear, but discounts run 30% to 70% off the original prices (open daily 10am-7pm).

For clothing by local designers, shop for Barney Cheng's classy evening wear at The Swank, which carries designerwear, with outlets at shop 202 of Alexandra House, Central (tel. 852/2868 3804; MTR: Central) and in the Gateway Arcade of Harbour City (tel. 852/2175 4118; MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui). You'll find the Chinese chic designs with a Western twist by Vivienne Tam at Shop 209, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Central (tel. 852/2918 0238; MTR: Admiralty); Shop 2095, ifc mall, 8 Finance St., Central (tel. 852/2868 9268; MTR: Central); Shop 302, Times Square, Causeway Bay (tel. 852/2506 0098; MTR: Causeway Bay); Shop G310, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui (tel. 852/2117 0028; MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui); and The Peninsula arcade (tel. 852/2721 1818; MTR: Tsim Sha Tsui).

Factory Outlets -- Savvy shoppers head for Hong Kong's factory outlets to buy at least some of their clothes. These outlets sell excess stock, overruns, and quality-control rejects; because these items have been made for the export market, the sizes are Western. Bargains include clothes made of silk, cashmere, cotton, linen, knitwear, and wool, and some outlets have men's and children's clothing as well. Some manufacturers even produce clothing for famous designer labels, though it's not unusual to find labels cut out. Unfortunately, outlets are scattered throughout the territory, though there are clusters in the Central District on Hong Kong Island and Hung Hom in Kowloon.

There are, however, a few caveats about shopping in factory outlets. For one thing, you never know in advance what will be on sale, and sometimes the selection is disappointing. Some outlets do not have fitting rooms, and it's important to carefully examine garments inside and out for tears and stains. What's more, some outlets are indistinguishable from upmarket boutiques, with prices to match. Unfortunately, it seems that some shops simply call themselves "factory outlets" because that's what tourists are looking for. Thus, unless you have lots of time, it may not be worth your while to go to the outlets in Hung Hom in search of a good deal. Several street markets -- notably Ladies' Market in Mong Kok -- also serve as outlets for mainland factories.

On Hong Kong Island, the best-known building that houses factory-outlet showrooms is the Pedder Building, 12 Pedder St., Central. During my last visit, I counted more than 30 shops here located on five floors, but many of these shops are not factory outlets -- they're simply regular boutiques with the same merchandise at the same prices found at their other branches. In addition, a new trend seems to be shops selling used designerwear, shoes, and handbags, making it good for bargains in last season's fashions. In any case, it's convenient to have so many shops in one building and it's fun to just poke around here.

On the Kowloon side, the largest concentration of factory outlets is in Hung Hom, clustered in a group of warehouse buildings called Kaiser Estates on Man Yue Street. Although the Kaiser Estates comprise huge concrete factory buildings, the outlet shops inside look just like ordinary shops. To reach the Kaiser Estates, take bus no. 5C from the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry bus terminal to Ma Tau Wai Road (the third stop after the KCR Kowloon Railway Station).

For a list of factory outlets along with their addresses, telephone numbers, and types of clothing, pick up the typed sheet called "Clothing & Accessories" at HKTB offices. Most outlets are open from 10 or 11am to 7pm Monday through Friday, with shorter hours on Saturdays. Some are open Sunday as well.

Jewelry

According to the HKTB, Hong Kong has more jewelry stores per square mile than any other city in the world. Gems are imported duty-free from all over the world, and Hong Kong is reputedly the world's fourth-largest trading center for diamonds. Gold jewelry, both imported and locally made, is required by law to carry a stamp stating the accurate gold content.

Jade, of course, remains the most popular item of jewelry for both visitors and Chinese. It's believed to protect wearers against illness and ward off bad luck. The two categories of jade are jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite (also called Burmese jade) is generally white to apple green in color, although it also comes in hues of brown, red, orange, yellow, and even lavender. It may be mottled, but the most expensive variety is a translucent emerald green. Nephrite, which is less expensive, is usually a dark green or off-white. In any case, true jade is so hard that supposedly even a knife leaves no scratch. Unless you know your jade, your best bet is to shop in one of the Chinese-product stores. For less expensive pieces and souvenirs, visit the Jade Market.

Pearls, almost all of which are cultured, are also popular among shoppers in Hong Kong. There are both sea- and freshwater pearls, available in all shapes, sizes, colors, and lusters. For inexpensive strands, check the vendors at the Jade Market. There are also many shops along Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui that retail pearls.