Amid online shopping’s rise, American Eagle flagship store opens in Hong Kong – the brand’s Andrew McLean explains why, and weighs in on mom jeans vs skinny jeans
- The US outfitter has at last opened a Hong Kong flagship store, in Central where Gap used to be. Its chief commercial officer explains the brand’s strategy
- He also talks about why skinny jeans aren’t dead just yet, and how sister brand Aerie – the antithesis of Victoria’s Secret – has tapped into body positivity
American Eagle, the denim and casual wear brand whose clothes have become a staple in the wardrobes of teenagers and millennials around the world, has been operating in Hong Kong for a decade.
The US outfitter counts 10 stores and one outlet store in the city, but it was only in June of this year that it was able to open a flagship store that truly reflects its thriving business in Hong Kong.
In the prime retail district of Central on Hong Kong Island, the 17,000 sq ft (1,580 square metre), three-storey shop – which previously housed the flagship store of US retailer Gap – has one floor devoted to American Eagle’s sister brand Aerie – a runaway success thanks to its affordable, comfortable and inclusive women’s apparel.
That it took American Eagle 10 years to open a flagship in Hong Kong reflects the vagaries of the city’s commercial real estate market, which until recently was the most expensive in the world.
