On Lan Street Under Threat

We speak for thousands of Hongkongers when we say that On Lan Street, a quaint little alley just off Wyndham Street, is our favorite cul-de-sac in Hong Kong. This cluster of pre-World War II tong laus have been lovingly restored, and currently house avant-garde fashion outlets such as Maison Martin Margiela, Comme des Garçons and Ann Demeulemeester. Unfortunately, four tong laus (numbers 12-18) on this pretty stretch of road are set to be torn down by property developer Henderson Land, to be replaced by a “Ginza-Style” skyscraper mall. I.T, local distributors of Margiela and Garçons, announced they will be moving to Ice House Street this month. Another great shame, and another step backward for local heritage preservation.