I always end up pining away for one major American store: Target! Next Friday I’ll share my Target wish list, but for now, I thought I’d stop to share some Asian stores I love. I wouldn’t want you to think I was short of being to shop here in Hong Kong. I’ve found six Asian stores that ship internationally and a couple of them are actually Hong Kong based. See, I don’t do too bad!
Lane Crawford is a Hong Kong based luxury department store that delivers worldwide (just click on the US store if need be). I always feel luxe whenever I step inside. I stand a little taller, throw my shoulders back, and try to strut. It’s a very fancy store! I’ll be honest: I use the Lane Crawford in the IFC Mall for it’s glamorous bathroom, and on my way down to the lavatory, I admire are the high-end designers. My designer to stop and ogle at is Alice and Olivia. I usually gasp. The items I regularly purchase at Lane Crawford are sneakers and makeup. They always have the best–and newest–selections in Hong Kong.
The Japanese have mastered organization–just look to Marie Kondo, or properly known as KonMari. She’s teaching the world how to better organize their entire life. Meanwhile, there’s an amazing Japanese store that I adore that helps me in maintaining some order in my life. It’s MUJI. Most everything inside is either white, clear, or a neutral color. The pens and notebooks are collectible. Even the Japanese food goods are a treat to experiment with. I don’t usually buy their clothes but they do have very well made classic staples. The one item I do buy once to twice a year are their slippers–so cozy! Do you have a MUJI in your town? If not check out MUJI; it will not disappoint.
I don’t use Zalora all that much, but it’s a great place to go if I want something from a name brand and can’t find it anywhere. By going to Zalora, there’s a good chance I’ll find it locally. While there’s a branch designated just for HK, there’s also one for Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Brunei with the Zalora Global’s headquarters in Singapore. They do ship worldwide, and for those of us living in Hong Kong, they have pick up spots as well as shipping options. Imagine that… picking up my Fila sneakers at my local 7-11. Now that’s funny but completely possible!!
Grana has a similar concept of Everlane in selling clothing at transparent prices. Grana, started by Luke Grana, has a noble mission: “we stand for one simple thing: quality for all.” They sell classic, staple pieces in high quality fabrics like Chines silk, Peruvian prima cotton, French linen, Italian merino wool, and Mongolian cashmere. They express ship world wide for only $25HKD which is the equivalent to about $3USD, and if you spend over $600HKD (a little over $75USD), they ship for free. Let me tell you: if you want a cute pair of easy, breezy, black silk pants, head to Grana. This cropped black silk pair is only $45USD, and they’re in my shopping cart. Where ever you are in the world, they can be in yours too!
Uniqlo, another Japanese brand, is like the Gap, no maybe more like Old Navy (which by the way is the same company). It’s stocked full with all the staples for every season. In fact, this is where pretty much all my son’s clothes come from. They have basic tees and khakis in great colors that seem to fit the uniform of a teenager. The entire family uses Uniqlo for their heat technology; they have the best long johns around! Finally, I always pass through Uniqlo to see what cool graphic tees they have at the moment; I’m pretty sure I’ll be picking one up from this collection. (Unfortunately I wore this tee during my latest DIY and accidentally bleached it in places. I’m so mad at myself since it is my very favorite tee!) I’m pretty sure Uniqlo is in most major US malls–at least we’re able to visit the store for summer staples in Seattle at Bell Square.
The last store to mention is Shein, yet it’s a precautionary mention. There are tons of online stores cropping up where the clothing looks like it’s Zara for example, but it might be one of those “off the truck” items. This means the Zara article may have been made in China, and Shein or others like it (Romwe, Zaful, and ChicWish) pick up the item without the said label. Or, a popular item found on a site that was made in China is being replicated. Basically, many of these sites are great if you’re trying to find a trend for less. But be forewarned on quality control. There’s a risk: the item delivered could be great, OR alternatively it could be poorly made in an unexpected material that looks similar but just isn’t quite the same. I’m not saying not to use these sites but shop with caution.
Did you know about these Asian stores?
Would you like more round ups like these? I think it’s safe to say I’m a pro shopper and I’m also more than pleased to enable my readers!!
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