iSee Wing On Street

Back in the day, Wing On Street was ‘Fabric Street’, where tailors and merchants from across the city would come to purchase the best fabrics. It had shops that specialised in colourful silk and cotton and others dedicated to wool and cashmere - sheep, rabbit, camel - mostly darker in tones for western suits.

Wing On Street had a strategic location - right by the pier - and its reputation spread far and wide. In typical Hong Kong savviness, the shops sold to retailers and wholesalers. Sheltered from sun and rain, the shops were always packed, there was so much on offer. Some shops even employed security guards to protect their goods.

Thirty years ago when The Centre was built, a part of Wing On Street was sacrificed for the new skyscraper. Most fabric sellers moved to the second floor of Western Market. In the red-brick historical building, you can find an amazing selection of Chinese brocades, Thai printed silk, soft wool, cotton poplin and canvas upholstery fabrics. Most stores have been losing money since the first day they moved in, yet these men are still holding on, most of them have been in the industry for most of their life and are not ready to give up.