Hongkong - Balenciaga flagship opens

[kimair]

from wwd...

Balenciaga's winning streak continues.

Hot on the heels of one of the most acclaimed collections shown during Paris Fashion Week, the French house said Thursday it will christen a flagship boutique in Hong Kong this weekend.

Joyce, one of Balenciaga's key retail allies in Asia, will own and operate the 1,700-square-foot franchise in the Entertainment Building on Queens Road Central. It will stock women's and men's ready-to-wear and accessories amid an "artificial landscape" decor found in the other two Balenciaga flagships in New York and Paris.

Balenciaga designer Nicolas Ghesquière collaborates with French artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster on store design. The Hong Kong location will feature a "mountain landscape" composed of pastel blue, pink and yellow tiles, Balenciaga said in a statement.

Ghesquière was not available for comment.

James McArthur, Balenciaga's president and chief executive officer, said the brand is "going consistently from strength to strength. We have ambitious plans for the coming few years and this beautiful flagship store is one more important step."

Other recent Balenciaga openings include in-store shops in Harrods in London, Galleria in Seoul, South Korea and Mitsukoshi in Taipei, Taiwan.

One of Gucci Group's "emerging brands," Balenciaga was given until 2007 to break even, a target it expects to reach soon, driven by strong momentum at wholesale, the enduring appeal of its "lariat" handbags, rapid growth in markets like Japan and a recent expansion into more affordable products.

has anyone been??

 

[vintage_princess]

No, but I want to, I love Balenciaga. More reason for me to go Hong Kong again!!

 

[kare2711]

Hmm hmmm hmm. Does that mean that I can get my bags from HK instead of from NY now? More savings perhaps ?

 

[Caffeine]

Hmm hmmm hmm. Does that mean that I can get my bags from HK instead of from NY now? More savings perhaps ?

maybe the waiting list is longer?

 

[jaymee]

i haven't been Balenciaga shop yet. anyway, some pictures from HK magazine.


A African Goat City bag, limited edition (only 60) for the flagship boutique.

 

[jaymee]

more pictures!

actually it's easy to get a Balenciaga bag in H.K. you can find it in everywhere such as Balenciaga shop, Joyce boutique. also you can find alot of used and brand new Balenciaga bags at Milian Station or Paris Station, etc. they are selling a used (great condition) large motocycle for $4000-$5000 HKD only now as HK's peoples are so crazy to Chloe and Fendi spy.

half year ago everyone was carried a Balenciaga. half year later everyone is carrying a Chloe paddy and silverado on street. so i think it's a good time to get a real and cheap Balenciaga now...i think i will get a white or olive voyage very soon from Milian Station.

 

[Baizilla]

Wow... "Men's ready-to-wear" .. sounds promising, i'm definitely stopping by next time i am to go home to HK..

 

[haoshcn]

Could any tFS member Hongkong who visited this store tell us something about it? I mean what the selection of clothes is like? Do they buy interesting pieces of this F/W collection? What about the men's ready-to-wear? Any nice and interesting stuff?

I really hope Hongkong ladies and maybe also gentlemen could develop more interest and appreciate Balenciaga's clothes better rather than just be obssessed with those bags which they use to show off their either genuine or illussionary social status, I mean that's really kind of weird. I read a Hongkong magazine earlier this week and there's a report on this boutique's opening. They said almost nothing about the clothes, only bags, either the lariat bags or that special limited edition! It seems to me they care nothing about the clothes at all, only those bags which are supposed to be the symbol of your "wealth" or "class", such a strange mentality. I don't know, maybe I read the wrong magazine? Anyway, this is not racism since I am a Chinese myself. Overall I really find lots of Asians addiction to those LV, Gucci, this or that expensive and instantly recognizable bags a bit pathetic.

 

[Honey~Blade]

Which magazine was it in?

 

[Caffeine]

Could any tFS member Hongkong who visited this store tell us something about it? I mean what the selection of clothes is like? Do they buy interesting pieces of this F/W collection? What about the men's ready-to-wear? Any nice and interesting stuff?

I really hope Hongkong ladies and maybe also gentlemen could develop more interest and appreciate Balenciaga's clothes better rather than just be obssessed with those bags which they use to show off their either genuine or illussionary social status, I mean that's really kind of weird. I read a Hongkong magazine earlier this week and there's a report on this boutique's opening. They said almost nothing about the clothes, only bags, either the lariat bags or that special limited edition! It seems to me they care nothing about the clothes at all, only those bags which are supposed to be the symbol of your "wealth" or "class", such a strange mentality. I don't know, maybe I read the wrong magazine? Anyway, this is not racism since I am a Chinese myself. Overall I really find lots of Asians addiction to those LV, Gucci, this or that expensive and instantly recognizable bags a bit pathetic.

Don't you think that most of asian people have hard time to pull off Balenciaga's clothes though?

 

[haoshcn]

Don't you think that most of asian people have hard time to pull off Balenciaga's clothes though?

I don't know, I am not a lady, can't say anything about how an Asian lady will feel like when she puts on Balenciaga's clothes. But considering it usually has such skinny-tight cutting, shouldn't it be good for slim people like us?

Although I do like its clothing for men. They may not be so outstanding compared with its women clothes, but still good enough for me . Just wish I had enough money to afford it. I have several slim-cut Balenciaga pants bought from YOOX recently. They are definitely the pants with the best cutting and fitting I ever had, very flattering to my boby below waist in which I usually don't have much confidence.

 

[haoshcn]

Which magazine was it in?

I don't know its English title, but it's a weekly supplement to Apple Daily published early each week. I subscribe to their online edition so I can read on the internet in the US. Usually I just read Apple Daily and it sister publications for stuff like gossips and Fashion news for fun, never care about what they write about political, economic or any other apparently serious subjects. Their writings in those fields are too extremist and most of time simply stupid to be worth reading.

 

[Scott]

^Hey,you could probably wear some of the women's stuff....if you'd feel comfortable doing that. Just a piece here or there...nothing extreme.

 

[Honey~Blade]

What's the price range of Balenciaga clothes anyway?

 

[haoshcn]

^Hey,you could probably wear some of the women's stuff....if you'd feel comfortable doing that. Just a piece here or there...nothing extreme.

Whom are you refering to, me? Caffeine or anyone else?

 

[haoshcn]

What's the price range of Balenciaga clothes anyway?

I bought two jacket/coat (not even made of those luxury material like Cashmere or whatever) last year at Balenciaga's boutique in NYC on 60% off. The original prices on the tags were both $1245 before sale. Quite expensive I think.

 

[Scott]

Commenting to you about the whole sizing differences.

 

[vintage_princess]

haoschn, I agree Im sick of a lot of people living in asia (but this happens everywhere!) being obsessed with logo LV, Gucci, Dior bags etc. I love Balenciaga clothes far more than just carrying my motorcycle bag..but the prices are too expensive for their clothes a lot of the time.

 

[Baizilla]

^ Hmm.. i've always thought that the bags - like your moto - were more expensive than the clothes itself, no?

 

[vintage_princess]

Well no actually, the clothes are far more expensive than my moto bag. My bag cost me £660 and the jacket was well over £1000+.