When it comes to men’s accessories, Vincent Wu knows his stuff. He co-founded Incu in 2002 with his twin brother Brian. They’ve since expanded the men’s and women’s fashion destination to a dozen stores around Australia.
Short for “incubate”, Incu nurtures young brands from at home and abroad, so it’s across all kind of trends – particularly the blending of formal accessories with more casual streetwear. “You can show that you know how to style yourself and that you don’t have to follow one particular trend,” says Wu. “Guys are pretty experimental with that kind of stuff.”
Born in Hong Kong before relocating to Australia as children, Vincent and Brian return to the city a few times each year, either on holiday with their own kids or on the way to Paris for work. “You’ve obviously got the traditional influence, but you’ve also got so many different cultures coming in,” says Wu of the changing city.
Tasked with selecting five standout destinations for accessories shopping in Hong Kong, Wu brings his usual sharp eye and seasoned taste. There’s a bit of everything, from a landmark department store to a hidden word-of-mouth gem.
The Armoury
With two locations in Central – and one in New York – The Armoury is an established favourite for sharp, sophisticated menswear, despite only being around since 2010. “It’s an amazing store for gentlemen who want to dress up a bit,” says Wu. “It’s got ties and scarves and bespoke suits. Leather goods, garters, tie pins, umbrellas, stuff like that.” He singles out the expertly curated selection of watches, spanning both old-school timepieces and the higher-end Grand Seiko range. “I’ve been eyeing them for while,” he says. The Armoury also hosts visiting tailors, shoemakers and other bespoke artisans on a regular basis.
Pedder Building, shop 307, 12 Pedder Street, Central; Landmark Central, shop B47, 15 Queen’s Road Central, Central
Delstore
Founded by Derrick Leung, formerly the head of menswear buying at Lane Crawford, Delstore is an independent multi-brand in Wan Chai that you aren’t likely to stumble on by accident. “It’s more of a destination place,” says Wu. “You wouldn’t really see it unless you know about it.” Located discreetly down a humble alleyway, Delstore has an excellent selection of hats, scarves, jewellery, pocket squares and bags. “He looks for these amazing, mostly Japanese brands that are usually not big enough to be in a major department store,” Wu adds. No wonder it’s become a word-of-mouth fixture since opening in 2011.
3 Schooner Street, Wan Chai
Kapok
With six stores in Hong Kong and locations in Taiwan, Singapore and Japan, Kapok has had a lot of success for its curation of self-styled “future classics”. Opened by French expat Arnault Castel, it definitely bears the influence of his homeland. “He felt there was a niche for smaller European brands, mostly French,” says Wu. “It’s more like a lifestyle store, so they also have stationery and diaries and travel journals.” He recommends the Sun Street location in Wan Chai, a district home to many cool boutiques as well as the immaculately designed storefront of Monocle magazine.
3 Sun Street, Wan Chai
Lane Crawford
It says something about Lane Crawford’s lasting golden touch that the Hong Kong institution – founded in 1850 – is still a firm favourite with shoppers and designers around the world. “They have a really good lifestyles and accessories area,” says Wu. “They’ve really extended that luxury department-store experience to technology that we like to check out when we’re over there, like drones and different gadgets. They edit and curate those ranges really well.” And it being Lane Crawford, you’ve got four locations to choose from in Hong Kong alone.
Various locations
Her
By far the newest shop on the list, Her was opened by Hilary Tsui, formerly a buyer for I.T. She’s something of a celebrity in Hong Kong thanks to her 20-plus-year relationship with singer/actor Eason Chan. “Her is more streetwear-inspired, but I would love to buy a few things there,” says Wu. “There are a lot of accessories. They do a lot of younger streetwear brands as well as your Nike and Puma.” Her also hosts fun jewellery pop-ups and has a cafe where you can grab a coffee and sneak in a sweet treat from the much-loved Cookie DPT.
55 Paterson Street, Causeway Bay
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