Limited-edition mahjong set by Gucci all the rave

Where the words 'Gucci' and 'limited edition' appear in the same sentence, 'waiting list' will inevitably follow later in the paragraph. On Friday afternoon, the luxury brand unveiled a small selection of items just in time for the Lunar New Year.

Although it was mainly a press event, many fashion junkies also came. A few stars were also hired to show up for the paparazzi. And they really earned their money. With the temperature hovering near single digits, Bernice Liu Bik-yee smiled bravely in a sleeveless dress without her teeth chattering once. Equally chilly was Amanda Strang in shorts from the new summer collection.

But the focus of everyone's attention was the limited-edition products, almost all of which are exclusively sold in Hong Kong and on the mainland. They include a digital watch, a bicycle, luggage, sports shoes and - as a Beijing Olympics token - a leather panda toy. We think the most popular item, though, will be the Gucci mahjong set (above) in its 'la Pelle Guccissima' red print. Although brand reps seemed hesitant to divulge just how many sets were available, they did confess most were reserved or sold already despite the HK$24,000 price tag. In other words, start queueing now!