Japanese brand Neighborhood, HK-based Izzue team up in Pak Sha Road pop-up store

There's good news for label-loving fashionistas with shrinking wallets. Ever cool Japanese brand Neighborhood and local casual-wear name Izzue have teamed up for a Causeway Bay pop-up store offering T-shirts, denim and hoodies at almost half the usual price. However, there wasn't much shopping inside the tiny 400 sq ft Pak Sha Road store at the opening party last Thursday. So crowded was the place, many people ended up outside on the sidewalk. What clothes there were were draped on nine male models against a wall - street chic military review. However, most guests, especially the female ones, were angling to get a view of heartthrobs Shawn Yue Man-lok (pictured left) and Taiwanese pop idol Ethan Juan Ching-tien (right), as they congratulated Neighborhood's designer Shinzuke Takizawa (centre).

'I embrace innovation and creativity as much as Izzue does in designing, that's why I think the collaboration is going to be a successful one,' said Takizawa. 'Both labels are strong in promoting individuality and persistent in bringing out the unique characteristic of oneself.'

Despite a tight schedule, Takizawa still wanted to see some local colour and was taken for dinner at Tsui Wah in Central. Sadly, people watching in Hong Kong weren't as interesting as he had hoped. 'I think Hong Kong people dress a lot like what I see in Japan,' he said. The Neighbourhood X Izzue shop is open until April 4.