Designer shopping in Asia
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A
Odel Unlimited
Head here to shop with the glamorous. You’ll find everything from homewares, designer-label clothing and sportswear to banana soap.
reviewed
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B
Cocoon
The contemporary designs in this smart and charming little shop are quite striking. Silk garments for women are the mainstay, and these typically update traditional Vietnamese motifs. Many of the pant-and-shirt ensembles feature jazzed-up patterns and florid colours and convey the fluid beauty of the ao dai (Vietnamese national dress) without the formality. Original jewellery is also sold here for very little money.
reviewed
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C
Song
Valerie Gregori McKenzie's original designs have garnered her a strong following, and many traveling clothes hounds deliberately seek out her shop. McKenzie's company uses traditional Asian textile techniques, and avoids sweatshop environs by contracting with independent Vietnamese women, who do much of the actual stitchwork. The clothing is casual, comfortable and stylish, generally using subtle, earthy colour schemes.
reviewed
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D
Jim Dandies
This cool boutique owned by the artist Yurika Nakae is bizarrely hidden away in a downmarket mini-mall that sees few foreign faces. The funky knitwear, tops, jeans and belts make for a big contrast with the tat on sale in the shops around it. Prices start at around Y300 but go far higher for some items. The shop is inside the Liangzhuang shopping market, which is just south of Shanghai Stadium metro and opposite IKEA.
reviewed
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E
Guānyīn Qiáo
Ages ago on this spot, Guanyin, goddess of mercy, saved residents from a flood with a lotus bridge. Today, the only magic around here is how your money disappears. Pick up Italian boots in the Las Vegas Underground Sleepless Town and then skip over to the Hong Kong Center for American designer jeans. For brand names, check out Mào Yè Department Store.
reviewed
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F
Propaganda
If Propaganda is truly trying to live up to its name, then count us as officially indoctrinated. It's hard to resist the charms of this fun, stark-white shop with all sorts of functional design pieces created by Thai designers, like Chaiyut Plypetch's lamps featuring the anatomically cartoonish Mr P. Housewares with an attitude. Another branch in the Emporium.
reviewed
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G
Bapexclusive
BAPE (A Bathing Ape) is no longer the madly exclusive brand that made it so desirable - this shop is testament to how underground designer Nigo's brand isn't, but how wildly successful it's become. BAPE has a dozen or so 'secret', hard-to-find shops around Harajuku and Aoyama; this one's a good starting point for brand fans and architecture buffs.
reviewed
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H
Boon the Shop
This slimmed-down version of Galleria has stairways and balconies around an atrium courtyard, providing a chic atmosphere as you browse lesser-known brand-name stores. Don’t even think about taking a photograph – shopkeepers will think you’re trying to copy their designs (styles appear in Apgujeong and a few days later they’re out in Dongdaemun).
reviewed
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Q Flagship Ebisu-Nishi
Sharing a building with Hacknet, Q Flagship Ebisu-Nishi presents its clothing and accessories like candy, or jewellery. Many pieces are originals by local and international designers from as far abroad as Australia and Italy, but the shop also designs a house collection. Sizes are limited generally to those fitting svelte Daikanyama figures.
reviewed
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I
Evisu Tailor
In the early '90s, the detail-obsessed founder of Evisu began producing jeans the old-fashioned way, using rescued looms and weaving methods, helping to spawn the Japanese selvedge denim craze. At Evisu Tailor you can choose the pair you want and have the Evisu logo custom-painted on, or discreet denim-wearers can opt to go logoless.
reviewed
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J
Tsumori Chisato
After working under Issey Miyake, designer Tsumori Chisato launched her own line in 1990 with the blessing of her mentor. Now she designs fun, well-tailored clothing that falls gracefully along the lines of the body while retaining a whimsical aesthetic, using beading, embroidery and eye-catching appliqué.
reviewed
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K
Restore
This small but selective secondhand shop along Komazawa-dōri is stocked with middleweight vintage as well as last-year's look. APC and Yohji Yamamoto rub shoulders on the hangers here, and they carry both men's and women's garb. Recycle and refresh your wardrobe.
reviewed
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L
Andre Kim
Haute couture from Korea’s number-one eccentric, celebrity fashion designer doesn’t come cheap, especially when it’s tailor-made. This shop is full of the ageless Andre Kim’s trademark flamboyant and extravagant dresses and gowns amongst the white statuary.
reviewed
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M
Kim Young Joo Milano
A boutique of a well-known local designer who is famous for adapting traditional hanbok, the striking traditional clothing that followed the principle of unadorned modesty, into a modern style.
reviewed
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N
Undercover
Former punk band frontman Jun Takahashi's take on youth-minded streetwear is still crazy after all this time. His Undercover Lab, designed by architect Astrid Klein, is just up from Yohji Yamamoto.
reviewed
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O
Louis Vuitton
It's worth going at weekends just to see the queues of eager females and their anxious male companions waiting to get in. Join the queue, and look for a bag the replica hounds haven't copied yet.
reviewed
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P
Avenue K
A relatively new arrival, this slick mall is slowly filling up with exclusive designer boutiques (eg CK, Hugo Boss) and upmarket home-décor stores. It's above the KLCC LRT station.
reviewed
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Q
Galleria Concos
Experience brand-name nirvana next to Seoul train station in this brand new department store where top world designers sell status and style to folk burdened by too much spare cash.
reviewed
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R
Almeta
If the verdant colours of Thai silk evoke frumpy society matrons, then you're a candidate for Almeta's toned-down earth-tones similar in hue to raw sugar or lotus blossoms.
reviewed
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S
Second Hotel
If you like way-out designers, try the Korean-American Suitman’s stuff on the 2nd floor of this glass and concrete pyramid. He tries his hand at almost anything.
reviewed
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T
Maison Mode
From its perch smack in the middle of Liberation Monument, the poshest department store in town hawks the world's most upscale labels (but for the usual price).
reviewed
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U
Taste Maximum
Up-and-coming Seoul fashion designer Kim Gyu-sik and his associates have a cute boutique here in Apgujeong and in Lotte department store in Myeong-dong.
reviewed
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V
New DJ Siam
Deep in the heart of teen-landia, this tiny store supplies the kiddies with the hottest overseas alt-options as well as all the Thai-bred indie groups.
reviewed
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Chiseongno shopping precinct
Chiseongno shopping precinct has a number of youthful fashion stores and brand-name boutiques stocked with clothes, accessories and cosmetics.
reviewed
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W
Bandhej
This boutique feels like it got lost en route to New York, and has some beautiful traditional clothes and furnishings at upmarket prices.
reviewed
