Was it the lure of fashion darling Olivier Theyskens or something else that packed Lane Crawford, Canton Road last Wednesday night? Though the store went against conventional wisdom by holding the reception on Kowloon-side, (during the height of rush hour!) the entire space was buzzing with Hong Kong’s most sought after names.
The crowd reflected the city’s new social vanguard, tai-tai’s were greatly outnumbered by Hong Kong’s young, cosmopolitan class. The sprawling store, which recently underwent a renovation, was packed end-to-end with fashionable professionals who personified the target of the Theory brand.
[photopress:theyskens_theory_store_china_hong_kong.jpg,full,pp_image]As we have noted before, Lane Crawford has been a catalyst for change in Hong Kong. They have worked aggressively at cultivating the same type of scene you will find in major fashion capitals around the world. Events like Wednesday’s Theyskens’ Theory launch prove the extent of their success.
What was it like inside the event?
Lane Crawford’s gatherings indicate that Hong Kong that is now assuming a role in Asia once solely occupied by Tokyo.
As China has become the top consumer of luxury goods, Hong Kong’s position as China’s shopping capital has made the city seem like the center of the universe.
The speed at which information now travels has created a demand even for fledgling fashion labels. Young brands and designers are interested in international sales and Lane Crawford has positioned itself as the fulcrum for entering the China market.
[photopress:theyskens_theory_clothing_brand_china_store_HK.jpg,full,pp_image] The multilevel store uses a forest of abstract vertical shapes to divide the large open space.Several life-long Hong Kong residents in the room remarked that they had never set foot in the Tsim Sha Tsui branch before. Though often snubbed by Hong Kong Islanders who have three of their own Lane Crawford branches to choose from, the truth is that Canton Road may now be the most dazzling high-end shopping area in the city. Even upon leaving the Theyskens event, there was still a twenty person line outside of Chanel!
A little background on Theory and Theyskens’ Theory
Theory represents the brilliant pairing of a no-nonsense fashion industry veteran, Andrew Rosen, and a critically acclaimed designer, Olivier Theyskens. Undermined by belt tightening at his previous posts, Olivier Theyskens joined forces with Andrew Rosen and lent his celebrated designer touch to the Theory line. His signature collection, Theyskens’ Theory, has benefited from the infrastructure provided by joining an existing, well-run fashion operation. Joining Theory has spared him the need to start from scratch to build distribution channels or develop production facilities, and instead Theyskens can focus on his design strengths.
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