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Travel: Shopping Guide - Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Monday, March 09, 2015
Hong Kong is one of my favourite cities for shopping because there are always new, interesting spots worth exploring regardless of the number of times you've stepped foot there. On my recent trip to Hong Kong last year with Yitian, we chose to stay in Sheung Wan, home to streets after streets of antiques, curiosities, vintage fashion, independent fashion labels and cafes.
Sheung Wan is like a maze with gems hidden in every nook and cranny, reminiscent of a less commercialized version of Venice. There are new discoveries down every alley, with pleasant surprises at every turn. Aside from shopping, the beautiful street art and wall murals also make excellent photography backdrops. Say hello to more OOTD shots!
In today's post, shopping will take centerstage and you'll find out what are some of the interesting knick knacks that can be found in this treasure trove of a precinct.
1. Antiques, Art and Vintage Collectibles
If you love antiques and collectible items, Sheung Wan is the place to be. You will find interesting second-hand Chinese memorabilia and other curiosities at the make-shift street stalls lining Upper Lascar Row (Cat Street).
If you prefer to visit actual art galleries and antique shops, head on to Hollywood Road (Antique Street), where you will be greeted by a variety of paintings, vases, statues, artworks and collectibles (some may be replicas) from a bygone era. If you're thinking of sprucing up your home decor, be sure to check out these quaint little shops for some quirky finds.
If you prefer to visit actual art galleries and antique shops, head on to Hollywood Road (Antique Street), where you will be greeted by a variety of paintings, vases, statues, artworks and collectibles (some may be replicas) from a bygone era. If you're thinking of sprucing up your home decor, be sure to check out these quaint little shops for some quirky finds.
2. Vintage Fashion
Taking the road less traveled has always been one of my mantras in life, and the same goes for my take on fashion. That is one of the reasons why I've always found vintage fashion appealing. Checking out vintage stores in Hong Kong may not have been on our cards, but it found its way into our itinerary thanks to some chance encounters.
On our way to breakfast one morning, we came across Select-18. It's easy to mistake it for a hardware store, but don't be fooled by its visage. Within the store lies an amazing selection of vintage accessories, bags, collectibles and eyewear.
I especially adore their collection of vintage miniature perfume bottle accessories. If you follow me on instagram (@reginachow_sg), you may have seen these gorgeous trinklets which I bought as gifts for my girlfriends (and myself too!).
Select-18
Shop A, G/F, Grandview Garden
18 Bridges Street, Central, Soho
Bang! Bang! 70s is another vintage store that we chanced upon as we walked down Aberdeen Street. Located on the second floor of a non-descript shophouse, you have to ring a bell before the gate opens to reveal a flight of stairs leading up to the store, which offers a wide variety of vintage designer apparel, bags, shoes and the likes.
Bang! Bang! 70s
1/F , 16A Aberdeen Street
3. Independent Fashion Stores
Aberdeen Street is where most of the independent fashion stores are located. We easily spent an entire afternoon just browsing through the multitude of fashion labels and trying on everything that they had to offer.
One of our favourite shops is Mushroom, where you'll find intricate accessories, homeware and beautiful dried flowers with an unmistakable old-world charm. Stepping into the shop instantly transports you into a magical fairy-tale world where fairies, pixies and unicorns come alive.
I was particularly attracted to their exquisite selection of whimsical accessories inspired by Alice in Wonderland, folk lore and ballerinas. I felt like a child once again.
Mushroom has 3 branches in Hong Kong, namely in Aberdeen Street, New Town Plaza in Shatin and Millenium City 5 in Kwun Tong Road.
Mushroom
G/F, No. 14 Aberdeen Street, Central
G/F, No. 14 Aberdeen Street, Central
A row of multi-label fashion retailers can be found on the opposite side of Aberdeen Street. ABoutique, my new found favourite multi-label retailer introduced by a friend from Hong Kong, is literally just a hop and skip away.
ABoutique stocks an exclusive selection from designers such as Frame Denim, Alice by Temperly, Camilla & Marc, House of Holland, finderskeepers, keepsake the label, among others. These labels may be readily available at e-retailers such as Shopbop, Revolve Clothing and Net-a-porter, but being able to try on these labels at ABoutique makes such a difference.
I eventually walked away with two pairs of skinny jeans from Frame Denim, some of the comfiest jeans I own to date. In fact, they're so comfortable, you'll feel like you're wearing next to nothing. I'm convinced that my wardrobe needs more of these!
ABoutique
G/F, 19 Aberdeen St, Central
Sheung Wan left such a deep impression on me and I would love to share every facet about this amazing place in time to come. If there are other shops in Sheung Wan that you would highly recommend, do let me know!
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Meanwhile, if you're planning a trip to Hong Kong, you may find my previous Hong Kong shopping guides useful:
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