Outed and Outlets

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Most people here know that I'm a sample sale whore… and I don't mean to throw that w word in a casual kind of way.  If there's an imperative sample sale on (some good uns' coming up in London…Nicholas Kirkwood and Emma Cook woot woot… ), I'll be there combing through meticulously and obsessively. 

Sadly the word 'outlet' doesn't instill the same kind of excitement.  This is supremely silly but it makes complete sense to me… the fact that a sample sale is usually restricted by date and time, in my head, whatever I end up buying feels a lot more special (even if it is a 10-season old scraggy cardi…), and so the idea of a permanent sale at an 'outlet' doesn't really get my shopper's blood rushing. 

Therefore I was a bit doubtful as to whether I'd find anything at Ap Lei Chau's Horizon Plaza which houses Lane Crawford, Joyce, I.T.'s outlets (there are several I.T. outlets about and in general, I'd be surprised if someone shopping in Hong Kong DIDN'T stumble into something I.T. related/owned) and now a Marni outlet too.  I had heard good things about it but given its slightly far out location, I had never been before and as we were pulling up, the coach loads of tourists getting off to get in on the outlet action, made me even more dubious. 

A slap on the wrist is in order because just at Joyce's outlet alone, my eyes were welling up with the amount of bargains.  I'm the kind of person that gets excited by the reductions of items even if the final price is still unaffordable and Joyce makes this particularly accute as they list all the prices the item has gone through season to season.  I was lusting after a number of Christopher Kane giant pailette and crushed velvet items, a Rick Owens jacket, some Sacai knitwear and a Proenza Schouler coat and nearly walked away with a lilac Comme des Garcons blazer but ended up empty handed.  Yet I was strangely satisfied with my empty hands as I could tick off Horizon Plaza as a place to go when I am finally feeling flush (sadly this trip has fallen just before Christmas when friends and family come before my own superficial needs…).

I fared a wee better at Lane Crawford (it's hard to list WHO they stock but rather it's better to eliminate who they DON'T have… ) and a Givenchy ruffled cropped cardigan and a VPL dress went into the basket (does anyone else put stuff in baskets only to do a shop-circuit and put it back down?) but in the end, it was this pair of bargainous Bruno Frisoni platform sandals with an abundance of grosgrain ribbon and gold ring tie-ups that finally made it to checkout at the price of HKD650 (around GBP58) down from HKD7000. 

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I could well have tipped the Xmas funds away in Horizon, but it's actually knowing that this place is pretty much permanently there that left me feeling more than happy.  I'll be back, ya?

On another Hong Kong discounting note, I must thank the few readers who have been leaving/sending me tips even though I didn't ask for any.  Mee and Gee in Central (on Li Yuen Street West in Central… think there's one in Mong Kok too) was a pretty rad suggestion.  It's a cross between a vintage and deadstock store and everything is dirt cheap, with all wares being under HKD100 (GBP8) and averaging at about 3 quid an item.  This is going to be the oddest excuse I'll give for not coming away with anything but bear with me.  Sadly, the things that I was interested in were the deadstock 70s printed shirt dresses and skirts from Japan but…

… and here goes…

…the night before I had stayed up late to watch at TVB series that is a bit like the Cantonese version of Cold Case/CSI where they kept recalling the past of a serial murderer/rapist and one lady was lying dead on an old lino floor wearing a chintzy 70s printed shirt dress, with eyes rolling back into the head.  The resembance to the stuff in Mee and Gee was a little close what with my awful sleeping patterns and low tolerance for erm… scary dead eyes.  So it was this mental image that prevented me from stuffing my wardrobe with more skirts to add to the 278+ inventory.

Me thinks I've waffled on about NOT shopping but the key point to take away is that Horizon Plaza and Mee & Gee get the thumbs up.  : ) – a symbol that everyone can understand… bah… who needs copious amounts of text anyway!     

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29 comments

  3. Shoes lovelovelove! so jubblyjubbly! Okay I need to stop using jubbly twice, its meant to be only for when i nearly die in love but I suppose that just happens way to often these days reading Bubble and Tavi and Vogue! O here she goes again, third person, talking to herself on other peoples blogs! Christ. Flea market looks like fun! and don’t worry your excuse is not mad, My excuses (and they are perfectly true) usually envolve having to apolagise to a squirrel or the fact that I spent all morning trying to empty the bath full of last nights (cold) water because the plug has stopped working.
    Note to any of my teachers who happen to read stylebubble(erm well you never know!): Now you know that the car did start this morning and this was the true reason for my lateness was the above!
    Sorry susie, I shall try to stick to my point the next time I comment (I know that that is unlikely!)

  6. I experienced with the shop like this..it’s kinda fun/headache/and confused to shop…cuz there’s so many!! Good info about shopping in HK,Susie 🙂

  7. Those are some awesome shoes!! I love outlets and sample sales. One gives you a feeling of constancy/security, the other gets your adrenaline pumping. Both are awesome.

  8. Those shoes are particularly awesome. + I like how you’ve used to word ‘whore’ like that, to show how much you like bargains! Could call myself one tbh.
    I do the circuit thing aswell, I don’t like clothes being in the wrong place – not much I can say for my bedroom though, ha.
    J’aime.

  9. Those sandals are stunning. My goodness. How creative. I like sample sales but it´s been a while since I have been in one.
    xoxo
    B* a la Moda

  15. How I wish I could attend one of these famed sample sales! I would probably get overwhelmed and stand in the same spot for at least 10 minutes though…LOVE your Frisoni sandals!
    xx

  17. I definitely like what you walked away with. In my next life I will be fierce enough to wear what I want. See, I always buy what I want but that doesn’t mean that it actually makes a debut from my closet!

  19. Those stores are the best. Great bargains, though usually I have to dig the whole store up to find something really nice. ;]

  20. your HK posts are always so informative. I’ve lived here almost all my life and you still introduce me to new things ive never seen before hahaha. i work in central so I’m DEF>>>>>> going to stop by that Mei Gee store 😀
    oh god, the lane crawford warehouse kills me everytime. I almost teared up walking away from my dream pair of Marni’s that we’re going for about 70% off. I hate myself for not getting them everytime i think about it ):

  21. Ah, you’ve got to love a good outlet/sample sale! I’m currently in Florida where 12am is the start of Black Friday, a crazy sales tradition post-Thanksgiving Day so I’m just off to brave an outlet mall myself – must be crazy!
    PS. Love the shoes – they remind me of the books I used to do my maths homework in!

  24. AHHHH! Such an amazing deal on those shoes! I HAVE to go to Lane Crawford the next time I’m at Hong Kong!

  26. aww. really nice heels.
    and i live in hong kong and have been the shop you listed. its really nice!
    love your styles!

  27. Ooh this is so useful!
    I’ll be heading to hk soon, will be sure to check these places out (:
    Where exactly is horizon plaza again?

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