Designer Clothes
 

I am going to HK in a week... I want to bring back some cheap clothes like Versace, Tommy Bahama etc. I picked up TB shirts in SHA for like $96 yaun, when they are $96 at nordies... Where do I go? Do I have to go into China? Shenzhen etc? And where an when. I want to get some clothes for me and friends mainly for clubbing in RIO... I appreciate any input..

Are you looking for the real thing or fakes?

Well if the real things are same price in US than I want fakes. I'll tell you those TB's from PVG are pretty convncing if the.y are fake, they have all the same tags, same silk etc.

The better fakes in HKG are superb quality (in fact some of the Hermes and LV fakes are better quality than the real articles!). But you can get some genuine items for excellent prices, for example Zegna (genuine) is less than half the US price (often 1/4). Also some factory outlets in HKG (Esprit outlet in the basement of the Sheraton has clearance items at 10% of the US price, all genuine).

Ah, but watch what you get in the factory outlets.

My daughter bought some very nice DKNY pants in a factory outlet that had DKNY JAN as the logo instead of JEAN; she didn't notice until after we got home.

You can find knock offs in any street market in HK such as Temple Street or Women's Street.

I've also been told recently that Seoul is really the place to go for high quality knock offs. My one time there years ago, I bought a pair of Adidas sneakers from a street vendor which lasted close to 10 years with a lot of walking in them, although a bit scruffy looking of course, near the end.

last night I did the market by the Jordan MRT station. Picked up a bunch of souvinears. Also found an allright LV rollerboard for only $200HK, and a very nice real looking one (Korean) for $800! I should have grabbed the $800 for mom. Lots of purses etc I will get some tonight for people back at home, soo much cheaper than NY. Now I would like to get some Tommy Bahama, and Versace shirts etc. Where are those? They were not at this market at all.

Thanks

Not sure where you can get fake Versace (I don't live in HKG, but I'm sure it is readily available and your hotel concierge can probably oblige), but real Versace is available in the shops at the Peninsula hotel (some prices are 25% of the US price, which means it is still sky high, but business is so bad this year, they will negotiate with you, even at the Peninsula).
The Esprit boutique in the basement of the Sheraton hotel (across from the Peninsula) is also worth a visit. BTW, where are you staying?

I am at the Conrad. Since I did Temple st last night, I will try the Stanley market.. Is it good in the day time too? I plan to stay the night in Macau tonight, so I will proably keep my luggage here, and pack my backpack with some clothes, and hit up a market then take the Ferry over to Macau.. Any shopping there? Also how is mainland for stuff like Shenzhen? I hear it is a dump, but can I score some good deals?

Shenzhen can get you anything, for a fantastic (very low) price. If they don't have it, they will make it for you. I can't speak from personal experience (I have never been there and I don't buy counterfeit goods, as I like to foster innovation and quality), but there are ample stories of the supply available at Shenzhen. However you probably need to have an interpreter (it is not like HKG). I've always found everything I want to buy in Kowloon and have been pleased with both quality and price.

Also I am looking to score a DVD player for my car Where is the good deals? Are there any?

For your CAR??? I won't probe, but I would start in TST or Mongkok. If you want to play DVDs from more than one zone, be sure to get a multi-regional player. Also, I would pass on Shenzhen -- that place sucks (I hope I'm not offending anyone). In fact, one of my best friends here goes to Shenzhen every week, but arranged a meeting in HK today primarily for the purpose of snagging time to buy a new digital camera for an upcoming vacation.

Fortress is good for electronics. They have a shop in Ocean Terminal in TST. I'm sure that they have other branches. Citicall is also good. They have a shop on Queen Victoria Street; take the Central MTR, B Exit.

I've seen Versace in Temple St. But these kind of things, they come, they go. When you see one, you see a lot. You can't tell from day to day if it'll be there.

Don't buy electronics at Nathan Road and vicinities, unless a Fortress store. Just not worth the risk.

For design clothes, DFS sometimes have great bargains.

There's a Helmut Lang/Prada outlet at Horizons South (near Aberdeen) that's usually worth a look. It's a nice stop on the way back from Lamma Island.