Heaven for top brands
Hong Kong loves to position itself as a paradise for diehard shoppers, but the real glory for those watching the purse strings is Horizon Plaza.
Floor upon floor is stacked with international designer labels, such as Giorgio Armani, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and many more at hugely discounted prices.
A few hours of dedicated hunting can lead to some satisfying purchases and a spree that starts at 10am, even at a weekend, will avoid the crowds. Most outlets are between the 27th and 19th floors and starting from the top and walking down avoids the frustration of the slow lift service.
Women looking for a winter coat can head to MaxMara Fashion Group on the 27th floor, where pieces from iBlues, PennyBlack and Marina Rinaldi can be found. End-of-season stock from 2011/12 is just in alongside stock from the previous winter.
It's also a good starting point for staples such as trousers and weekend and casual wear from Max & Co, Sportmax and Weekend MaxMara.
Always original and often controversial, Vivienne Westwood has become Britain's fashion royalty. Her edgy-classic designs are found at Moda Mia on the same floor with cast-offs from her Red Label and Anglomania collections, plus Vivienne Westwood Man. Most stock is from the 2008-09 seasons with a 40 per cent discount.
Around the corner, Diesel Outlet is an essential stop for young urbanites looking for denim, beachwear and general casual wear. Stock tends to be from the previous season, older and comes with a 60 per cent discount except for jeans, which are half the usual retail price.
Skip two floors down to Lane Crawford and one of the mall's original discount outlets with rails of designer gear that disappear into the walled horizon. Women's wear generally has an 80 per cent discount on big names such as Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent and idiosyncratic labels such as Easton Pearson and rag & bone.
Best buys for men include tailored suits and blazers from Armani, Canali, Brioni and Pal Zileri, plus Italian-made office shirts. Casual shirts from names such as Comme des Gar?ons and OriginalFake have a 10-30 per cent discount.
Ralph Lauren and Armani group outlets are on the 22nd floor. The former carries stock from 2008/09 up to last year, while Giorgio Armani, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani and Armani Jeans can be found at the latter.
Moiselle is also on this floor and a safe bet for cocktail dresses and evening wear. The brand's vintage-inspired Classic Moiselle collection is brimming with hand-embroidered sparkle and sequins, while the urban New Look label is good for basics including skirts, trousers and jackets.
Collections carry pieces from spring-summer 2010/11 with discounts of about 70 per cent.
The autumn-winter 2011/12 arrives mid-May.
Other fashion outlets include Joyce Boutique, I.T. Outlet, Fairton Labels Fashion Warehouse, Hugo Boss and Juicy Couture.
