What would the woman who is in charge of more than 60 fashion labels buy for her own wardrobe this season? Balbina Wong says so far she has bought four items of clothing for autumn/ winter, among them a Ferragamo twin set, a St John suit, a Cerruti pants suit and a Rena Lange tweed suit. And that is not to say Balbina has an easy time choosing. With new labels such as John Bartlett, Julien MacDonald, Alberta Ferretti, Alessandro dell'Acqua and Marithe et Francois Girbaud to add to Lane Crawford's impressive list, she certainly is spoilt for choice. With the current retail climate, Balbina says that prices this season at Lane Crawford are much lower, making everything more affordable for customers. 'We have dropped our mark-ups. The Hong Kong dollar being so strong has also helped,' she says. The strength this season, Balbina feels, lies in its contemporary department with young, fun designers like BCBG, Betsey Johnson, Todd Oldham and Easel. Accessories also play a big part. 'Scarves and fur collars are big this season and they complete an outfit. But I also bring out old clothes from past seasons to wear,' Balbina says. She says most of her clothes are in black with a few splashes of colour. 'At my age,' she humbly admits, 'I choose outfits not on colour or design but whether they have my size!'
