The value of collectors' items, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. About 20 kids queued since last Saturday outside the new Nike flagship shop in Central, which opened yesterday. The attraction: a pair of new Nike skateboarding shoes, along with a toy figure designed by local artist Michael Lau Kin-man (above). They come in a shoebox and will set you back HK$1,999.
The kids, however, thought it was a bargain. Bids on eBay reached HK$5,685 and Yahoo's auction site was fetching HK$3,000 yesterday. By 7.30pm, 150 people were queueing outside the shop.
Lau, famous for his 'Gardener' series of baggy-clothed, tattooed dolls, is also displaying 106 of his dolls at the shop, all dressed in miniaturised Nike T-shirts, pants and shoes. Except for three dolls made especially for the occasion, these are not for sale. Over the years, the Gardener dolls have acquired a cult status among young people in Hong Kong and Japan. 'I don't know why but they get very popular with the kids,' Lau told LoDown.
Maybe Alex So, 21, who was first in line outside the shop, would know the answer. He said he was between school and a job, and had all the time in the world.
'I adore Nike, and I adore Michael Lau's dolls,' said So, who even looked a bit like his idol with his baggy pants and goatee.
There are many things I don't understand and queuing outside a shop for a week is one of them. 'I don't stay out here all the time. We take turns, change shifts,' So said.
