Watch distributor and designer Christie Wo Man-shan (right) now has her own boutique. The glamour girl of horology opened the Charmonde Concept store on the third floor of the IFC Mall on Wednesday with her long-time friend Charmaine Wan Ho Yuen-mei (left) as business partner. A number of high-profile acquaintances, including singer Sandy Lam Yik-lin (centre), dropped by the tiny 200-square-foot space to wish them well. Naturally, Wo made sure her little shop of dazzle was as sparkling and blingy as her watches.
'I really wanted to open something different that Hong Kong hasn't seen,' Wo said. 'Most watch shops are really boring. The light is so bright and they're not very stylish. As a designer, I want to present my watches in an environment that reflects their style. For 10 years I've wanted to do something but I was always too busy. And when I was selling other people's watches I couldn't do it because they weren't my brands. Now I can do whatever I want.'
Given the tight squeeze inside, the opening overflowed into the mall's public area and eventually moved across to the back room of Agnes B's Le Pain Grille to giggle and gab. As Wo wrapped her arm around Wan's shoulder at the post-party, she admitted she would not have gone into retail without her friend and loyal client. 'Charmaine's background is marketing and retail, plus I think she owns every watch I've ever designed.'
The two are already planning a second, larger shop to open in the Ocean terminal this summer.