Maison XXII

Photo: Kelly Chan

Photo: Kelly Chan

Maison XXII brings the finest in European living to Wan Chai through a three-story space that’s inspired by the spirit of Les Baux-de-Provence. The multi-sensory store, host to a select curation of lifestyle enhancements, is purposefully designed to take your five senses on a journey: smell (with a specially trained florist and home fragrances), taste (with a range of healthy essentials, fine chocolates and confectionaries), the heart (with lighting and furniture), the sight (with fashion accessories, books and stationaries) and the hearing (with audio tech). Try out one the brand’s own Calissons, an almond-based treat available in Sweet Pear and Raspberry Matcha flavours, peruse leather furniture by Danish homeware brand Frama, and enrol in one of the specialist flower arranging workshops. 

15 St. Francis Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; shop.maisonxxii.com

Ethos

Photo: Kelly Chan

Photo: Kelly Chan

Housed in a steely open space atop Hill Road, Ethos is a lifestyle emporium offering seasonal lines of apparel, cuisine, publications, homeware and events. The store celebrates simplicity in life, with a sophisticated edit of the best in creativity and craftsmanship from around the world. From Scandinavian outerwear brand Rains to local jeweller Shannnam, Ethos offers easy appreciation of the creative, crafty things in life displayed in a clean, minimalistic space. 

93, 97, 99 Hill Road, Kennedy Town; ethosstores.com 

Kapok

Photo: Kelly Chan

Photo: Kelly Chan

Founded by French entrepreneur Arnault Castel, Kapok’s new flagship concept merges two old stores into one for its Wan Chai location. With six stores of varying concepts dotted around the island, the brand’s sun street shop combines fashion and lifestyle in a retail space that echoes the distinct characteristics of the brand. Decked out in plywood, one half of the store is dedicated to a holistic lifestyle selection that includes home decor and Elixirs, a newly implemented clean beauty section stocked with niche beauty and fragrance brands that emphasises environmental, organic and ethical products like Berlin-based cosmetics label Fine. At the other end, Kapok’s fashion edit offers iconic brands such as cult brand Maison Kitsuné, British staple Margaret Howell as well as their very own label, Future Classics introduced in a new dance-inspired collection. 

8 Sun Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; ka-pok.com

WOAW

Photo: Kelly Chan

Photo: Kelly Chan

This art & design concept space triples as a retail showroom, pop-up gallery, and Elephant Grounds’ brand new Creamery. Opened this spring, WOAW – an acronym for world of amazing wonders – was launched by CLOT founder Kevin Poon to embody the lifestyle and expressions of young creatives. The multi-functional space specialises in exhibiting and introducing a wide variety of established and emerging artists to the market, alongside a careful curation of brands ranging from collectables and homeware to gadgets and publications. 

5 Sun St, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; woawstore.com/

MUM’s NOT HOME  

Photo: Kelly Chan

Photo: Kelly Chan

In a first floor flat in the Yau Ma Tei neighbourhood, Mum’s Not Home offers a slice of kaleidoscopic happiness. Part bohemian-chic cafe and part artsy-boutique, the neon-lit, plant-filled space was conceived, designed and is currently still run by globe-trotting creatives Chow and Makui, who are partners in both work and life. The multihyphenate pair (designers, artists and chef) quit their jobs to fulfil a dream of opening their own boutique, which ultimately led to months of scouring the streets for furniture to fill up a space that’s become a vessel for their creative expression. Aside from the highly delectable concoction of floral teas and cakes by Makui, Mum’s Not Home also sells a unique curation of accessories, clothing and homeware, either designed by the duo or gleaned on one of their monthly trips around the world. Look out for the traditional Thai bowls redesigned into lamps, a medley of printed vintage shirts, and Chow’s whimsical portrait paintings. 

302 Shanghai Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong; instagram.com