HKTDC Design Gallery

Looking for unusual gifts? I thought this place was full of unique, cool, unusual gifts and things.
As noted in some information I saw, the HKTDC (Hong Kong Trade Developement Council) mission is to promote creativity, innovation and product excellence. They showcase the newest and best products of Hong Kong designers and brand manufactures. They use the gallery to launch and test market products and build brand awareness among international clientele.
Local as well as an interesting concept… I like that.
Quirky, fun, MOMA type gifts for self, spouse, friend or kid. As noted the great tunes playing on the showroom floor (an ambiance perk for a retail shopper!), you can browse everything from a cat shaped purse to a chicken electric kettle. From the bizarre to the functional, this store has a little something for everyone.
They appear to have shop operations here a the Convention Centre, at the Departure Hall of the airport and also PMQ in Central.

I think this is a great idea. I loved the concept: Hong Kong designers are given a chance to showcase their products as if it was a permanent fair. And the shop is strategically located. I’m just thinking how many people can pass by the shop on their way to an exhibition on a monthly basis… the design of the shop itself is not really appealing though and the fact that it’s a gift shop that sells so many different types of items can be a little confusing. On my first time there I didn’t quite know where to look… as I browsed around I found a few potential gifts. My favorites were the ‘cable buddy’ to tidy your headphones, they look anything but what they are (a button, a lace, an animal…); the iPad and laptop cases designed with a nice texture that imitates paper; some of the cat and dog-​themed small bags; and the plastic cups and cutlery from LexnFant, intended for babies but I did like one of the folding cups for myself. Some of the accessories also have really original designs but for me this shop is more of a gadget/​souvenir store that comes with the added value that’s been designed in Hong Kong. So it’ll be the perfect spot to buy something of a higher quality when I go back home.
If you are into local design, have a look at their website. Not only they list their products (no prices though) but they have a section devoted to designer’s profiles and local brands.

This TDC gallery has been here for a long time but its popularity has only come about in recent years. The gallery sells items that are distinctively Hong Kong and things that are considered either local or designed by local designers are placed here. In the past this meant really artsy and pragmatic items were placed here and at prices that no one was going to buy it at.
The quiet scene has changed quite drastically in recent years as local designers have come up with more interesting and popular items, such as the cartoon character (e.g. Mcdull) which has brought a lot of younger customers to the shop. The rise in local culture has also produced goods that are everyday items with a Hong Kong twist– such as cushions with local scenes printer on it. A further expansion of items into toys and goods especially for children/​toddlers has further enhanced the appeal of the store; so much so that on some days the shop is full of people and I just avoid it all together.
Would I buy anything from there? Simple answer is no. It has an extensive range of items available and indeed some seem to be available here only. The thing is that the pricing strategy still hasn’t seem to change and it is overtly expensive to get anything here (given some of the stuff is available outside). I guess the fact is that they are not treating this as an «outlet» so to speak but more of a showcase for local designed goods. As such, they don’t really care whether much «real» business takes place here.
I still think this is a good place to go– especially if you just don’t want to go back to the office right after lunch.

OK, I get it, you need to get a gift for a friend back home, but you have absolutely exhausted Ladies Market. There is no more Hong Kong tat that you can buy, now that you have already gifted the chopsticks in the little silk sleeve, the fake Mulberry bag, the belts that hide away your money, the waving fortune cats — arghhh, who would have thought you would run out of rubbish presents to buy!
If this is indeed you, I would thoroughly recommend a visit to the HKTDC Design Gallery in the Convention Centre, Wan Chai. This haven of «stuff» is all 100% designed in Hong Kong, which means it is just that bit more genuine then those tea sets from Stanley Market. With a focus on young HK designers, and local brands, this is about as Hong Kong as you can get.
Sure, the range of products is quite eclectic, anything from jewellery and iPhone cases, through to plates and lacquered boxes, and the designs themselves range from funny and childlike cartoon characters, through re-​imaginings of historical photographs from Hong Kong. But this does make it an ideal place to shop, because you are bound to find something that you like.
For me, it is a great place to buy greeting cards, and small gifts to take home. They even have a shop in the airport, in case of last-​minute visits to Auntie Norah — you can’t visit your auntie empty-​handed now, can you?
The prices of the products vary as much as their range. Nothing is too expensive, but in the same vein, nothing is particularly cheap. The products are very well-​made, though.
There is an ethos and focus on being a gallery, but I don’t think it really resembles a gallery at all. The store is a retail store — bottom line, but if calling themselves a gallery helps shift a few more silicon ice-​trays, then call yourself Dave for all I care.