Sassy’s Guide to the Citygate discount outlets in Tung Chung

Are you a discount diva? Does the thought of paying full price for something make your skin crawl? Well, did you know that there is an entire mall of outlet shopping to be had just a few MTR stops away?! If you’ve exhausted the discount outlets in Horizon Plaza, do not fear… there is a whole other mall of them awaiting you at Citygate in Tung Chung (at the end of the yellow line on the MTR)!

We Sassy girls love a good bargain and what we found was just too good to keep to ourselves! So here’s our guide to the very best of the Citygate in Tung Chung:

CLOTHES & ACCESSORIES

Diane Von Furstenberg (L2 Shop 205)
By far a Sassy fave! Rach and I both picked up pieces here as the discounts were substantial and the quality was beautiful! Some of the items on hand were just a season or two old and, seriously, a wrap dress is a classic no matter what year it came out. The wrap dresses were going for around $1500-2000 depending on the length and material, while I picked up a gorgeous coat for $1200 (see above)! You can also find swimwear, gorgeous evening attire (around $5000-7000), and some fun accessories, bags and shoes too. Sizes range from US 2-10, although not every piece is available in every size – just ask if you don’t see it on the floor and the attendants will check the stockroom. Even better news – apparently they get new stock in almost weekly!

Club Monaco Studio (L2 Shop 240)
All the comfy cool clothing you know and love at a discount of around 40% (we only wish it were more!). The standouts here were the cashmere t-shirts, which make being casual all the more decadent!

Kookai (L2 Shop 204)
Clothing was deeply discounted (70-90% off), but the catch here is that you can’t try the majority on! There were lots of great blouses, pretty dresses and floral prints but make sure know your size and how you fit this brand before you buy.

Kate Spade (L2 Shop 220)
Another Sassy must-visit! There are tonnes of bags, shoes (in big sizes too!), and accessories to choose from, all for around 30-50% off; meanwhile, jewellery prices ranged from around $300-700. Most of the stock was very recent (like last season recent) and there were lots of classic shapes and cute prints on hand in both bags and shoes.

Escada (L2 Shop 248)
Of course, Escada carries some beautiful pieces but the prices were still quite Escada-y and not quite outlet-y for us even at 50% off! Gowns ranged from  $10,000+ while the printed silk blouses and beaded jackets caught our eye at around $2000+. Head here if you’re looking for something really special.

I.T. (G/F Shop 01)
If you know and love the quirky brands at I.T, then this place is for you. Be prepared to spend a lot of time digging through the racks of this huge space – making your way through this shop properly could take a whole day on its own! Also remember you can only try on bottoms but not tops (boo!). With the amazing range of designers that I.T stocks, there are definitely some real savings to be had… but you will put in the time to reap the rewards!

Quicksilver/Roxy (G/F Shop 12)
There are loads of bikinis available all year round, in a range of sizes for around 40% off. You can also find hats, flip-flops, and beach wear for a hearty discount too, so if you are in need of some new bits and bobs for your next junk trip then stock up here!

Calvin Klein Underwear (L2, Shop 206)
This shop is popular amongst shoppers here for boasting some great bargains on CK’s trademark comfy simple styles – but most of the sizes left tend to be on the small side.

Burberry (L2 Shop 226A)
If you are in need of a trench, Burberry is a no-brainer! They had everything from classic styles to the super on-trend studded and silk chiffon varieties, and most were around 50% off. There was also an impressive range of bags and small accessories, and the store is nice and spacious too.

Moiselle (L2 Shop 202)
If you love Moiselle’s signature ornate pieces then you are in luck. The shop space was large and filled to the brim with tops, jackets, dresses and skirts, all heavily adorned. Prices were around 30-60% off.

Levi’s (G/F Shop 17), Seven7 (L1 Shop 105), Calvin Klein Jeans (L1 Shop 117C)
Need some new jeans? There here are a few spots to help you out! We spotted pairs for $400-800 at Levi’s and some other great deals over at Seven7 (two pairs for $690!) – if you don’t mind that they’re obviously a few seasons old.

Giordano (L2 Shop 279)
This is a good spot for basic tees, cardigans, and classic trousers. Prices at Giordano are extremely affordable anyway so for the best discounts, head to the Ladies or Concepts sections tucked away in the back – which are definitely worth checking out if you’re in need of some new workwear.

For the boys, try Brooks Brothers, Alfred Dunhill, Tommy Hilfiger, Gieves & Hawkes, Cerruti 1881, Nautica, Kent & Curwen, A. Testoni, and Calvin Klein Jeans.

Other accessory shops include Follie Follie, Agatha, Evita Peroni (all good for costume jewellery), Bally, Lancel, MaBelle, and Sunglass Hut.

SHOES

10^th Avenue  (10/F)
This is a relatively new area only accessible by a lift found on the ground floor… and once those magic doors open, you are surrounded on all sides by brand after brand of shoes! It is set up in a similar fashion to Central/Central with lots of different concessions, and we spotted areas for I.T, Dr Kong, Moiselle, Le Saunda, Guess, Hunter wellies, Vivien Westwood Anglomania jelly shoes and Aerosoles. The downside is, while the shoes were organised well by size and there are plenty of staff on hand to assist you (it seems lots of people don’t know this area exists yet, as it’s generally pretty deserted), most shoes only went up to a size 39 – so sorry all you large footed ladies (i.e me!).

Pedder Warehouse (L2 Shop 225A)
This place is awesome for OTT shoes and accessories! They carry loads of high-end brands with prices around 60-75% off. It’s best to just turn every shoe over to see the size and the price as not every shoe is available in every size. There’s also a small selection of jewellery here.

Adidas (G/F Shop 06), Puma (G/F Shop 13), New Balance (G/F Shop 11), K Swiss (G/F Shop 15), Nike G/F Shop 02)
If your running shoes have run out on you, then load up at one of the various sports shoe stores! There were a vast range of sizes, styles, and prices at these shops for at least 30% off, but some sportswear too; Adidas and Nike are perennially popular so try and get there early whilst there is still space for you to sit and try them on (and for a sales assistant to give you enough attention to find your size!).

DON’T BOTHER

• Avoid Coach (L2 Shop 246) like the plague unless you desperately need/want/love a Coach bag! This shop was packed to the gills and was by far the busiest store we saw. There were multiple customers filling suitcases with their purchases and we even spotted one guy stuffing nine bags into his check-in size luggage! Most pieces are heavily logoed and it’s just too busy to spot the more subtle leather pieces that may be lurking.

• There were either no or minimal discounts at Sasa, Dymocks, Fortress, The Body Shop and Laura Ashley, so don’t waste time with those. We also weren’t too impressed with the stock or the discounts at Max Mara, Max & Co., Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger – though we could have caught them on an off day!

• The Esprit (L2, Shop 201) outlet is SO huge it’s difficult to see the wood from the trees and there’s always a huge queue for the changing rooms; check out their outlets in North Point or Tsim Sha Tsui instead.

• The last time we visited Tung Chung prior to this article was a few years ago – and it seems Club 21 (Level 1, Shop 101B) hasn’t changed its stock much since then either!

FOOD

Good dining options here are still majorly lacking, so come on a full stomach and bring some snacks in your bag! Your best bets for food are Deli Viet for a decently-priced set, Pacific Coffee or Starbucks, quick teppinyaki in foodrepublic (the food count), Federal Palace for dim sum (beware the huge queues at peak times though), McDonalds (yes… we went there) or even the Novotel hotel which links directly to Citygate on the second floor.

An even better bet? DIY your meal or just grab some snacks at the HUGE Taste supermarket that’s on the basement level (they have a fresh bakery too).

OTHER SASSY TIPS:

• Come as early in the day as possible and try for a weekday if you can; crowds start to arrive around 12pm, and in the late afternoon, families start arriving having done the day at Disneyland – spot the mouse ears!

• The MTR to Tung Chung is freezing so make sure you bring a cardigan for the ride! You may also want to bring some headphones if going alone as it is a longer commute (it takes around 40 minutes from Central, with a wait time of up to 7 minutes for the train).

• Wear comfy shoes and a bag that goes cross-body or over the shoulder instead of the satchel variety.

• For ease of trying stuff on (especially in the places with fewer changing rooms and strange try-on policies), wear clothing that you can try stuff on top of in the store.

• Almost all the shops were doing group purchase discounts, (i.e. buy 2 items, save an extra 10%; buy 3 items, save an extra 15%; 4, save an extra 20%) so come with friends and make your purchase together to save extra and take advantage of this. There were no price barriers on this so you could buy something really expensive and then just a reasonably cheap bracelet at On Pedder, and get 10% off your entire purchase!

• Need cash to pay back your mates? Head to the far end of the mall furthest from the MTR for the ATMs.

Happy shopping ladies!

For a full list of stores visit www.citygateoutlets.com.hk

Tung Chung Citygate Outlets, 20 Tat Tung Chung, Lantau, Hong Kong, 2109 2933; open 10am-10pm daily and discounts vary throughout the year