Tag Archives: hong kong

I’ve addressed it on my Tumblr before, but every time I come back to Hong Kong, my appreciation for this “country” (actually, it’s a special administrative region) grows as big and fast as the high-rises that shoot up from the earth.  Every day, history is being made here, you can see it – from the window tops to the MTR subway benches.  You can see it in the faces of the people – the most hardworking, efficient, driven people on this planet.  You can feel it in the energy of commerce, entrepreneurial spirit, shared ideas, explosive synergies.  Over the years, our design team has traveled here to design and produce our apparel, in a manner and process that couldn’t be replicated back home in the States.  Sometimes I feel very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, as we get to call this place our second home – the epicenter of everything anew.

My incredible new friends, sisters, Shirley and Cindy.

Cindy composes a self-fashion blog out of Hong Kong, wildly popular here and across mainland China and Asia.  It’s called Cindiddy and you’ll love it.

For our last day in Asia, Benjie and I improvised a whirlwind trip to Taipei, Taiwan to celebrate the opening of the District showroom (which I discussed yesterday).

I’ve written from Taiwan plenty times before here on the blog, and hopefully here are to future chapters, as The Hundreds ventures further into the island.

2-hour flight back to Hong Kong. Then a 15-hour flight to New York.  We’ll be back soon.

by bobbyhundreds

In Taipei on a last-minute whim, for less than 24 hours.  First stop is the 2-year-old Juice store, the stylings and range which complement their other locations around Asia.  Here on “business” with Kevin Ma (Founder of Hypebeast), Kevin Poon (CLOT), and a buncha other friends whose names are surprisingly not Kevin.

On the upper tier of Street wares, Juice holds the fort here in Taipei.

The latest Porter accessories:

Obviously, a healthy amount of CLOT offerings, including all their amazing Disney collaborations that no one can get close to with Disney’s restrictions in the States.

Like this SSUR collab with Disney and CLOT:

with Bounty Hunter:

More of the SSUR project.

It doesn’t just stop at the ankles.  Juice has all the rare footwear as well, including CLOT’s latest collaboration with Adidas:

Take a wild guess as to which ones I jumped at:

Next time you’re in Taipei, say hello to the family at Juice.

by bobbyhundreds

Speaking of Silly Thing, the creative production agency is a well-oiled machine with diverse facets – like an octopus reaching into all areas of Hong Kong and China’s cool realm: publishing, visual production, events, public relation, and retail are the core endeavors.  The hub is abuzz as the staff is determining the cover direction for the next Obscura Magazine, which is also handled in-house.

Frank Liew is the new Creative Director of Silly Thing, having recently made the move from New Zealand.  Frank’s one of the most diverse, universal, and ubiquitous people I know in this industry. Seems like he is friendly and familiar with everyone high to low, East to West.  He was recently brought on to start breaking down the walls of Silly Thing, long shrouded in mystery due to it’s under-the-radar approach.

Speaking of breaking down walls, have you been paying attention to the original art in this place?  Founder TK’s collection is unrivaled and maybe unprecedented.  O.G. Banksys, Futuras, Kaws, Rammellzees, Hazes, McLarens… And not just a few fresh diminutive works, but multiples, oversized, and from over a decade ago.

Not just art, but all kinds o’ fun stuff. Look, but don’t touch. You break, you buy.

Hey that’s Eddie Yeung, the Senior Visual Artist here.  He also plays in a punk band called Attention to Piss, that’s not bad!

Bebop Mak is the Editor-in-Chief at Obscura Magazine.  What a desk.

In the back resides TK’s office.  He founded this company in 2000 but for years before that, was already involved in the burgeoning street culture movement from New York to Japan.  He also has the biggest toys.

An international man of mystery, he shies away from the camera and would rather his work do the talking for him.  But if you are dying to see him, here he is, recently featured in J.Crew’s “Hello, World” campaign shot by the Sartorialist.

Lots of great stories told tonight, some I can only tell you in person…

by bobbyhundreds

When Jun Takahashi was deciding upon the presentation of his Undercover store in Hong Kong, he wanted to create a fantasy experience, something jarringly disconnected and existential from the outside world.  And it’s executed perfectly, because while the shop is embedded in the industrial cement of eastern Hong Kong, inside the customer finds a foreign universe, strange; an ideal platform to showcase his unique fashion wares.

Jun is vastly hailed as an icon and innovator in this world, his early crust-punk sensibilities veering into paths of deconstruction and controlled chaos in his garments.  Pricey and avant-garde and far out, yes.  I could never pull off (or afford) most of his stuff.  But he is still one of my favorite designers and inspires me and The Hundreds and that’s why we’re here today.

As much as I love Undercover, I love GYAKUSOU maybe that much more.  This is Jun Takahashi’s collaborative technical running range with Nike.  In it’s third season now, the avid runner designs each collection in such a simplified and deliberate way that all pieces can be mixed and matched over the brand’s history.  Space-age fabrics, sleeves that unzip, Dri-FIT panels that are disguised as everyday fabrics, GYAKUSOU is the clear and present future. And although high-end, it’s a lot more affordable than the remainder of Jun’s work.

Just next door is the Think Silly store (by Silly Thing), the multi-brand emporium for forward fashions and upper-echelon street aesthetics.

Currently stocking: Alden, Acronym, Bedwin & The Heartbreakers, White Mountaineering, Soloist Takahiro Miyashita, Arts & Science by Sonya Park, Paul Hardon, Roberu, Ambush, Thom Browne x DITA, Sunsea, as well as a gallery of print magazines like Gentlewoman, Obscura Magazine, Fantastic Man, Apartmento, and Inventory.

The Silly Thing brand ceased making their own apparel years ago, but they keep their hooks in by collaborating on specialty items like these Alden shoes.

Thom Browne x DITA:

Kazuki Kuraishi x Takahiro Miyashita.  The name of their collection is 84/74, and this jacket is brilliant.

Head Porter for Silly Thing backpack. Only about $800 USD.

So these are two of my favorite stores to shop whenever I’m here in Hong Kong.  Located on Ka Yip street in Chai Wan.  When you find the shops that are confusingly impossible to enter, you know you’re in the right place.

by bobbyhundreds