The flagship mainland project for Hong Kong's Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) Group, Lan Kwai Fong Chengdu, has opened with fanfare in the Sichuan city.
The LKF Grand Opening Private Party on December 22 attracted 1,000 VIPs and kicked off a two-week-long celebration, tying in Christmas and New Year's Eve and bringing a taste of Hong Kong's famous nightlife to Chengdu.
The so-called 'Father of Lan Kwai Fong', Allan Zeman, hosted the event with a legion of Hong Kong celebrities, including Carina Lau Ka-ling, Shawn Yue Man-lok, Fiona Sit Hoi-kei and Yip Sai-wing, former member of rock band Beyond.
As the only Lan Kwai Fong outside Hong Kong, LKF Chengdu is a diversified 'street', integrating food and beverage outlets, entertainment and retail under one roof - a new concept for the inland city. It is located in the heart of Chengdu's central business district along the Jin River with a development area of 43,000 square metres. Its neighbours include the five-star Shangri-La Hotel and Tian Fu Times Square. It is also just a few metres away from the new metro station, which is due to start running in 2012.
'The first time I arrived in Chengdu, I was totally blown away by the culture and its people, and could already feel the vitality and great potential of this wonderful city,' Zeman said. 'Just like New York with Soho, London with the West End, and Montreal with Crescent Street, Hong Kong and now Chengdu also need a Lan Kwai Fong.'
Some of the major brands at LKF Chengdu include Lei Garden, which offers traditional Cantonese cuisine; Show Club and CC Club, the two trendiest nightclubs in town; as well as luxury lifestyle brands Davidoff and Decleor.
