Comme des Garçons (Hong Kong)

Hong Kong people aren't just fashionable - they're very fashion-forward. I know that the number of times I've complained about the sheer amount of big name logo branded flagships around the city might have given the unfair impression that locals actually buy this stuff, but as I've mentioned before, the glitzy stores are mainly there to cater to mainland Chinese tourists wanting to spend a bit of money on luxury items they can't get back home. The Hong Kong crowd? Well, they've come to appreciate the slightly less mainstream yet ultimately stylish choices - many of them offered by retail giant I.T. who has given the city everything from Gareth Pugh to Christian Wijnants to A.P.C. Brands that may be hard to find in any city, yet can easily be sourced in Hong Kong. In addition, I.T. has done locals a favor by running the franchises of some of the hottest names in fashion, including flagships for Isabel Marant, Tsumori Chisato, Maison Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester and of course Comme des Garçons. The latter three used to be wedged into quaint colonial style buildings in Central's On Lan Street, which pretty much made this area shopping heaven. Unfortunately, as these structures were approved for demolition, Margiela and Comme des Garçons have since moved, but still remain neighbors in an even more prominent location a few blocks away.

SS10 looks from Comme des Garçons (images: style.com)

If there's any person out there who would like to see herself as an anti-establishment figure, it's probably Rei Kawakubo. One who is cited as being every designer's big hero and visionary but who herself always remains critical of the fashion industry and the business that surrounds it. No doubt a savvy business woman herself, she has often complained about the big glamorous boutiques on large shopping avenues, which means she probably just adores 80% of Hong Kong's shopping landscape (yes, I'm being sarcastic). Her goal of creating 'anti-flagships' started with the Guerilla Stores (I reviewed the last of its kind in Glasgow last year), then Dover Street Market, which puts an entirely different spin on 'concept store' as it basically houses an indoor market filled with designer goods. And lastly there are her own flagships. Like Dover Street Market, they can actually be found in high-end locations, but unlike the large logo flagships, they're still hard to find. Either tucked away in courtyards (Paris) or simply fitted with a very low-key entrance that doesn't scream 'come in!', you will usually still need an address to find one. Hong Kong's version is no different. I only sighted it because of the brightly lit Margiela boutique next door and even then, I wasn't sure if I was looking at a store entrance. All I saw were large vintage photographs on walls, but no clothes... nothing. You see, Hong Kong's CdG boutique is underground...

On my way down the stairs... photography galore.

Not surprisingly, this CdG store name is called 'Under the Ground' and in a city where large spaces are very hard to find, Kawakubo has managed the unthinkable: to create a 4400 square foot flagship in the heart of Hong Kong's most prestigious district. Because it's not in a mall and definitely not in your face, she has also still managed to retain the 'cool' factor. Having pushed the envelope in both fashion and retail concepts, Kawakubo isn't content on having every of her flagships look the same either. Much like Balenciaga, every store has a theme and in this case, with the help of Kerim Ragimov's signature prints, the store has been converted into a gallery where you don't just get to admire the works of art that are the clothes, but are automatically immersed in the images surrounding you. In addition, the store layout is spectacular as well. Having finally ventured past the unassuming entrance and the stairway tunnel where I passed a group of swimmers, then a crowd of baseball fans and finally an African tribe at the beginning of the basement, I was greeted by two archways: one that presented a holiday family snapshot by a lake and revealed the menswear section behind it. Another opening lead to the CdG Play section.

A tribe near the stairs and the entrance to the menswear section.

Larger than life six pack abs? Yes please! (left). A first glimpse at some of the clothes (right).

Different sections and cubicles as well as varying heights of the ceiling were specifically designed to give the impression you're walking through a maze. It's not that easy to get lost though. As with most things CdG the design is quite simple and everything is laid out neatly. I first started out in the menswear section that merged with the Junya Watanabe range. T-shirts were stacked on shelves that formed part of the circular wall and similar racks held dresses and coats. As with most major CdG stores outside Japan, this one stocked the entire range of labels associated with the brand (that's 15 collections in total), so if you're a fan, you'll definitely find something to buy.

More menswear and some looks from Junya Watanabe.

At the time, I saw mostly FW09 items, though true to Kawakubo's visionary mindset, everything from that season predicted the trends of this one: military looks, sheer fabric and nude colors to name a few. Once I got to the CdG section, I spotted the signature draped coats and shirts, the trompe l'oeil capes, sheer dresses in tulle and chiffon and a lot of khaki. The funky shoes with painted on toes and in leopard print (for both men and women) were abundant, as were the nearby special edition Converse sneakers from the 'Play' range. Moving past the circular shelves, a simple wooden version (next to a group of female boxers) held more accessories for the men.

A few Comme des Garçons FW09 looks.

Overview of the other end of the room, where wooden racks and more graphic prints could be found.

The most obvious feature though was the exhibition space in the center. To launch the store opening, CdG had collaborated with famed Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei, who designed three porcelain watermelons and matching t-shirts. Only the latter was for sale at the hefty price of around 160 EUR and judging by the large number of shirts still available, not many were falling for the 'limited edition' trick. Nevertheless, it was still interesting to behold all of this in the middle of a store setting.

'Watermelon' by Ai We Wei and matching t-shirts.

More clothes and prints.

On the other side of the exhibition space, I sighted more menswear, the Tao range and finally a few more special edition items, this time from the 'Jingle Flowers' range, which included everything from plastic dolls, toy animals, snow globes filled with flower petals and wooden chairs to t-shirts and wallets. Staff was (as is typical in Hong Kong) very attentive and helpful. Add to the fact that they were all decked out in CdG, they also looked way cooler than most people in the store, which might probably be a great motivation for some to splurge on an item, if only to look a little more cutting-edge. I will however say that as crazy as some of the stuff may seem, CdG is a lot more wearable than you'd think as long as you know how integrate it into your existing wardrobe and don't try to emulate a runway look.

The circular section towards the middle (or as accessed via the other entryway).

The 'Play' range in fibre glass shelves and placed on white benches.

My last stop was the center area where the majority of the 'Play' items (i.e. the more affordable stuff) was stocked. Judging by the larger amount of shoppers here, I'm guessing it's also a great place to get gifts as a last-minute present. The signature heart print could be found on shirts, wallets and totes. Anyone who missed out on shopping in Dover Street Market could get DSM branded items (though I think at a slight surcharge). And if you don't get a chance to shop offline at all, the DSM e-shop stocks a large amount of 'Play' and other special products as well.

Wooden shelves with the familiar graphic prints in the center(left) and the comparably white cash desk (right).

Items from the 'Jingle Flowers' range, incl. wooden seats, tees, dolls and toy animals.

Despite the fact that the entire area was underground, the store still had an airy vibe and the graphic prints definitely added to a more 'outdoor' atmosphere despite some of the stark white interiors. Even if CdG isn't a local brand, it's definitely worth checking out simply because I've found every one of the stores to be so different from the other (hence the reason I keep blogging about them). And more importantly, it does make for a nice change from the numerous branded flagships you'll see all over town once you do emerge from Rei Kawakubo's subterranean world.

SS10 looks from Junya Watanabe (images: style.com)

SS10 looks from Tao (images: style.com)

Address: 10 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sun: 11:00-20:00