International brands like French label Lanvin is expanding into IFC Two to take advantage of Hong Kong's positive retail market hoping to attract international business travellers and wealthy local shoppers

Stores are not only restricted to the prestigious Landmark and IFC Building in Hong Kong's financial and shopping Central district. They are spreading out to Kowloon and even to the one-time industrial heartland of Kwun Tong.

Japanese jeans brand Evisu, French jeweller Mauboussin, Bally and Versace have joined Lane Crawford's swanky 82,000 sq ft store to tempt shoppers at the upmarket Two IFC mall. It is Evisu's first concept store in the city.

French brand Lanvin has rented space while Italian clothing boutique Loro Piana and luxury watch Chopard also plan to open in Two IFC.

Retailers are expecting a boost in tourist business when the Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel - one of the first boutique hotels in the city - opens in July. International brands such as Dior, Fendi and Celine have rushed to open stores in the nearby Landmark mall.

Shop till you drop

British-based shoe designer Jimmy Choo set up its first Hong Kong store in the Landmark early this year. Later in the year, it will be the turn of American designer Michael Kors and upmarket British department store Harvey Nichols, hoping to attract a broad customer base of wealthy local shoppers, international business travellers and a wide range of tourists

"We consider Hong Kong to be the ideal launch pad for the first Harvey Nichols in Asia because Hong Kong has a most sophisticated and strong local consumer base, attracts tourists from all over the world, and serves as the window of the world to mainland Chinese consumers," said company chairman Dr Dickson Poon, in an interview with Trader earlier this year.

Hong Kong's label as a "place to shop till you drop" took on a new meaning with the recent opening of the first late-night shopping mall, the APM mall in Kwun Tong. The 630,000 sq ft APM mall - playing on the initials representing the morning and afternoon - is about 99 per cent leased.

The mall's retail tenants open from 11am until midnight. Malls in Hong Kong usually close at 10pm. Restaurants in the APM mall will open until 2am and entertainment spots including karaoke bars can operate until dawn.

Shoppers' response to the idea of late night shopping has been overwhelming since the APM mall opened in mid March with an average of 70,000 people visiting the mall daily.

Japanese retail giant Aeon will open a 33,000 sq feet Jusco store in the APM mall followed by Japanese lifestyle store Muji. Italian brand Benetton will open its first Asian store selling bags and accessories also in APM mall later in the year.