Three childhood friends share how they turned a former gallery into a curated lifestyle store, showcasing treasures they found across the world

Johanna Ho, Jane Chao-Lee, Vanessa Chen-Cheong, and Viola Chen-Kwan all wearing Maison Huit x Johanna Ho 

Jane Chao-Lee originally intended to use Galerie Huit, the cosy space tucked off Queen’s Road East, as a platform to exhibit emerging artists and run educational programmes. Now transformed into Maison Huit, the venue shares the same vision, only Jane has recruited the help of her childhood friends, twin sisters Vanessa Chen-Cheong and Viola Chen-Kwan, to present it as a new lifestyle store for Hong Kong.

The trio speak passionately about how Maison Huit has evolved over the years – from a small pet project to help pass the time, to a boutique that offers an eclectic range of lifestyle products they have discovered throughout their travels. “We believe that a lot of our products are pieces that can be shared to a wider audience,” explains Chen-Kwan. “We wanted products that are luxurious, but practical; stuff that would fit our lifestyle.”

Recently, local fashion designer Johanna Ho was brought on board to create a capsule collection of four essential cashmere pieces for Maison Huit. Ho has taken strides in sustainable fashion in recent years, conscious of the high demand for consumption in the fashion industry. “Nowadays, there’s so much fast fashion going around that people buy things and only wear it once or twice, and then end up throwing it away,” says Ho.

Wanting to turn this trend around, Ho has created designs that have an element of timelessness. “For me, sustainability is something that is classic and that you would want to wear every season,” she explains. “In this collection, I designed pieces that are easy to wear, with classic colours that aren’t trend-driven. It’s more about basics.”

The trio’s conservative style paired with Johanna’s quirky design aesthetic made for a perfect combination when it came to creating the collection. Chen-Cheong explains, “It’s our first brand, so we just wanted to test the waters, and so far it’s been doing quite well.”

The space has built upon its original purpose of educating a wider audience on the talent that is on offer around the world, many that have yet to arrive in Hong Kong. “The store is not intended to push people to come get our stuff, it’s meant for educating people across the board and sharing what we think is interesting,” says Chao-Lee. “We want to host events where people can meet the designers and interact with them to really understand the ideas behind the collections.”

When it comes to lifestyle concepts in Hong Kong, Maison Huit is a rising star. It is, as Chen-Cheong reminds us on our way out, more than just a store; it is a cultural destination that embodies the spirit of Hong Kong’s diversity. “It may not be the biggest space, but everyone is always welcome.”

Maison Huit, No. 8 St Francis Street, Wan Chai

 

 

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