There are many places in the city to buy local fashion brands, but few dedicated boutiques offer a curated, sophisticated selection with international appeal.
Enter The Talent Shop, a collaboration between Joyce and the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI). Housed in the Joyce Cares retail space at PMQ, it's dedicated to showcasing the works of Hong Kong's up-and-coming fashion stars, each of whom have been selected by Joyce. The four brands on display are designed by the HKDI's most promising alumni, and will be on sale until October.
The sleek space looks like any cool fashion boutique with black and white striped walls, glass domes and digital displays highlighting each designer and their work. Hanging on the rails is a range of menswear and women's wear that could easily sit in any international boutique, thanks to their high quality craftsmanship and avante garde spirit.
Highlights include A Tentative Atelier, which was founded by ex Ground Zero designer Nam.T and recent Vogue Talent Award winner, Pauline.Y. The clothes are dark and deconstructed with silhouettes made from fabrics such as textured leather and silk, and with details such as frayed hems. The leather pieces are a definite standout, including the distressed leather vest (HK$4,050).
More wearable is unisex label Modement featuring simple pieces with an urban twist including the black and white blouse (HK$1,080) and the on-trend black parka (HK$3,100). Wan & Wong's white shirts (HK$880 each) are punctuated with cool coloured strips down the front. Men should check out The World is Your Oyster, which combines formal tailoring with streetwear elements in pieces like the blue vest with red band across the front (HK$2,150).