Why Hong Kong Grabs the Attention of Even the Most Avid Traveler
TV host and jetsetter Maggie Wilson visits Hong Kong for its history, vibrance, and culinary offerings. But aside from being a cultural savant, she happens to be an avid shopper. Famed as a shoppers' paradise, the small island has it all in terms of shopping, from more traditional mom-and-pops to large luxury malls.
Even for the most seasoned jetsetter, Hong Kong stands out. The city holds a great reputation among tourists for its vibrant nightlife, world-class attractions, and rich culture. But of all the various reasons people visit Hong Kong, shopping usually comes first on the list. Famed as a shoppers' paradise, the small island surprisingly has it all in terms of shopping, from more traditional mom-and-pops to large luxury malls.
One avid traveler who fondly recounts her experiences in Hong Kong is Maggie Wilson. The TV host and former beauty queen has flown around the world–she’s been to around 45 countries and over 200 cities. Still, she visits Hong Kong for its history, vibrance, and culinary bravado. To Wilson, the city’s allure lies in its unique culture, the blend between the traditional and the modern.
But aside from being a cultural savant, Wilson happens to be an avid shopper. You may have guessed it by now, but yes, she also visits the island to shop.
In this L’Officiel exclusive, Wilson talks about her work, home life, and travels with a focus on Hong Kong – a city she says carries the latest and rarest items in retail.
Hi Maggie, how are you? What's keeping you busy lately?
All things considered, I’ve been great. Lately, I’ve just been trying to rebuild my life and gain back my individuality. I’ve been doing a lot of projects related to Acasa Manila, which is my furniture store and interior design firm. With plans of entering the competitive European market by next year. Amongst a plethora of other things such as building my personal brand internationally.
You travel a lot – what do you think makes living in Asia exciting?
Indeed, I do. Asia is, and I dislike using this term but it does ring true, a melting pot. Aside from offering loads of opportunities, there is a culture that is present in every country. Each country I’ve visited has a lot to offer. I will even go as far as saying that the quality of life is so much better in Asia as you get more bang for your buck. The lifestyle is ideal as you have the perfect balance of work and leisure. I find that I have a lot more time to myself, and at the same time, I get to be social. Flying around Asia is fun as only a three-hour flight to anywhere takes you on a completely different journey.
What does Hong Kong remind you of?
Hong Kong is a beautiful mix of old and new. The culture is so evident everywhere even if you’re in the more modern part of town. Hong Kong offers amazing food, fantastic shopping, a fun nightlife, history, and experiences. People often think that Hong Kong is only a great place to go shopping and eat out but there is much more to do. Hong Kong is multifaceted. I especially enjoy the fact that it’s only an hour and a half away from Manila making it an easy commute.
L'Officiel Tip:
Going on a day trip for a leisure hike at Dragon’s Back or visiting the quaint Tai O fishing village can fill your list of exciting things to do in Hong Kong.
You're an avid shopper, what makes shopping in Hong Kong fun?
When I say I'm an avid shopper, it doesn’t mean that I only enjoy shopping for designer items. I also love shopping for food to bring home, as funny as that sounds. I don’t have a sweet tooth, but I am a huge fan of egg tarts. I always make sure to bring a box of them from Tai Cheong Bakery home with me. It’s also a great place to buy non-designer jewelry and other luxury accessories such as watches at fair prices without paying too much in luxury tax. Sale season is definitely my favorite season as I do love a great bargain. I also enjoy visiting the outlets at Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau. It’s located a little further out from central but it’s worth the trip as you get so many great deals at a fraction of the cost.
What are your favorite shopping districts in Hong Kong? Tell us something about each.
Shopping for anything in Hong Kong is made easier because depending on what it is you’re looking for, they can be found consolidated in different districts such as Jade Market for the largest selection of Jade or Sim City at Mongkok for camera and electronics enjoy buying a lot of camera equipment and electronics in Hong Kong because compared to its counterparts in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong always has the latest, even hard to find, items in retail.
Central
I always find myself shopping in Central, particularly Queens Road where you can find a lot of the designer stores. I prefer shopping in Central as it’s far less busy and I don’t really have to wait too long in the queue to get in.
Gage Street
I enjoy wandering the smaller side streets too to buy fresh fruit on Gage Street to munch on while walking.
L’Officiel Tip:
Gage Street is a busy walking market street with local products, food and fare accessible from start to end. This busy street cuts through Soho, one of Hong Kong’s hip dining neighborhoods. If you want a bigger selection of fruits, including exotic ones, do check out the Yau Ma Tei Fruit Market located in West Kowloon.
Pottinger Street
Another fun spot is the costume street near Pottinger as we don’t really have an area quite like it back home.
L‘Officiel Tip:
Frequent the area to stock up on random costume and accessories, perfect for Halloween celebrations or costume parties.
What are your favorite stores in Hong Kong? (Name at least five. Do you have any favorite Hong Kong brand or designer you like?) Why?
Lane Crawford
Lane Crawford IFC Mall, 8 Finance St, Central, Hong Kong
Joyce
Joyce G/F New World Tower, Central, Hong Kong
The usual suspects of course are Lane Crawford and Joyce as you can find almost every designer label in those two high end multi brand stores. To be completely honest, I prefer shopping in [multi-brand] luxury designer stores as I can hit multiple birds with one stone.
Horizon Plaza
2 Lee Wing St, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong
The Space Outlet and Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau are fantastic. Do note that you might be spending all day there just sifting through everything.
L’Officiel Tip:
Shop for unique, international home furnishing brands and discounted designer fashion brands in Ap Lei Chau. Horizon Plaza covers more than 500,000sf over 25 floors, consisting of nearly 100 shops.
I love what you said that "I want people’s homes to feel like their own private vacation." Let us in on your idea of a perfect private vacation.
Aww, thank you. I think the pandemic has really changed the way people view their homes. We now have put more value into our spaces. Priorities have changed and I think it’s changed for the better. When the whole world was forced to stay at home, we all longed for being outside or going on vacation. This has always been my belief when designing a home even before we went into lockdown. I live a very hectic lifestyle so I see my home as my own personal sanctuary.
How do you stay rooted when you're constantly on the move?
I try to make sure I structure my days and tick off milestones on my to-do list. Eating well, working out, and constantly trying to create routines no matter how small they are so I feel that I have some stability. It’s difficult to juggle everything that goes on in my life so I also make sure to take short breaks here and there. Such as scheduling me-time. I’m surrounded by a lot of people every day so I quite enjoy quiet time. On some occasions, I’ll even go on a side solo trip or take an entire day off and just relish my own company.
For more memorable indulgent experiences in Hong Kong, visit Discover Hong Kong to find out more.
