Dress by Konstantina Mittas, Jewellery by Paula Kyle Walden Assistant Stylist Natalia Vidovic Fashion Assistants Brett Bevege, Frida Horbino Hair & Make-Up Sara Donaldson Model Rosie Stockist Bessie Head
f Insiders Only WORDS Bridget Barnett PHOTOGRAPHY Bridget Barnett & Felicity Cooney Wholesale hotspot 1: B & C Centre For the fashion savvy girl who wants a real bargain. B&C Centre is a fashion wholesaler’s dream. Set in the industrial area of Lai Chi Kok, the shopping haven extends along a single winding corridor stretching 500 metres. <strong>The</strong> clothes and accessories here are usually without a brand label, and come in sizes ranging from Australian size 6 to 14. A wholesale centre for retail stores, clothes here are usually a year ahead of trends. French boutique owner and editor of Hong Kong fashion magazine Prestiage, Maire Lebailly, stumbled across B&C Centre five years ago. “Although some locals are aware that B&C Centre exists, what they don’t know is that the store owners are usually happy to sell to individual customers at wholesale prices. It’s great, I can pick up accessories to send back to the store in France and find a few things to add to my personal wardrobe too,” she says. <strong>The</strong> downside? <strong>The</strong> busy shop owners, organising orders for stores globally, don’t have time to give you quality customer service. “Try not to get in their face too much, they‘re happy to let you browse, just don’t hassle them. <strong>The</strong>y are selling on huge scales so making a sale with an individual customer isn’t a priority of theirs,” Lebailly says. Best Buy: Black buckled motorcycle boots – approximately AUD$50 (Pleather, not leather. You will have to sacrifice the smell of your feet for fashion). Tip: You often are not allowed to try on clothes at B&C Centre – make sure you know what size and measurements you need and bring a tape measure. SECRET HONG KONG WHOLESALE SHOPPING HOTSPOTS REVEALED! Wholesale hotspot 2: Sham Shi Po DIY district For the girl who doesn’t mind doing it for herself. Sham Shi Po is a hub for everything you need if you want to create clothes or make jewellery. Between about 10 streets, there are dozens of fabric, bead, ribbon, stud, chain, feather, leather, zip and hook stores. You need to know exactly what you are looking for, down to the thread count. <strong>The</strong> biggest downside of this DIY district is when ordering in bulk, minimum orders are still going to be enormous, with the minimum number for beads being 1000. American instillation artist and statement jewellery designer, Emily Eldridge, uses this district to source interesting pieces for both her art and jewellery. “I usually try to just buy on the day because I don’t like the risk of ordering 1000 beads without having orders for that many necklaces myself. However, sometimes you don’t have a choice… If there is something you really want and they’ve run out in store, ordering in bulk is your only option,” she says. Best Buys: Gold studs AUD$2 for pack of 10. Tip: If you have photos or samples of fabric or jewellery that inspire you bring them along. Some shopkeepers have poor English and visuals can aid the process. HONG KONG is one of the world’s most renowned shopping destinations. Bargain hunters from around the globe flock to the island in search of a good buy. While most travellers are trolling the well-known tourist spots buying their standard souvenirs and I ‘heart’ HK T-Shirts, boutique owners and independent designers are scoring their buys at the real shopping gold mines. Now fashion insiders are letting you in on their secret shopping destinations. r Wholesale hotspot 3 : Lowu Commercial City For the hardcore shopper who wants it all – and is prepared to fight for it. This hotspot is located in Shenzen, China. Although not technically Hong Kong, it’s only a forty-five minute train ride away. Lowu Commercial City looks like a huge office block, but is actually a sprawling shopping centre with close to 1500 small shops. This district sells everything from dinosaur eggs (yes, they‘re real!) to high fashion designer handbags (no, they’re not real!). <strong>The</strong> best part – nothing has a price tag. Everything in the shopping centre can be bartered. Hong Kong based accessories buyer, Kate Barnett, says the store owners will often try and rip you off. “As a rule of thumb divide WX whatever number they throw at you by three and you should get roughly its real worth,” she says. Best Buy: Wolf head diamante studded cocktail ring, approximately AUD$20 each (depending on your bargaining skills). Tip: While it’s relatively safe, there have been some reports of robbery. Dress down and leave your jewellery at home. WX FROCK. paper. scissors 39
Change language