Brand-savvy treasure hunters forgo the glitzy boutiques of Central and head over the Peak by car to Ap Lei Chau on the Island’s south side. Space is the place for last season’s Prada and Miu Miu. Bring plenty of patience and stamina to rummage through racks and stacks of these three ultra-desirable labels. Long lines are proof of the fabulous finds.

This may feel like a Chinatown emporium but it’s the best place for one-stop shopping for traditional Chinese  objects and fashions like jade trinkets, carved chopsticks, silk pajamas and dragon-motif teapots. Here you can find everything from herbal teas and healing balms and remedies to furniture, ceramics and fashions, including skirts and jackets fashioned out of antique textiles.

Chiu Kee Brass Work specializes in exquisitely crafted Chinese brass accessories for the home. Items such as locks, doorknockers or collectibles in the shapes of dragons or lions as well as made-to-order pieces are available.

Think of this as Hong Kong's version of the Conran store, Muji and Anthropologie all wrapped into one. Creative, colorful and whimsical, G.O.D. (the acronym stands for Goods of Desire) stocks home wares, accessories, paper goods and gifts. It's a fun place to pick up local mementoes, too, like wallets festooned with local iconography and imagery. You can find similar Chinese-inspired knick-knacks at markets like Stanley, but the experience of shopping here—less hunting, no haggling— is much more pleasant.

This concept store with a vintage edge sells international fashion brands as well as items from its own brand. Initial’s Causeway Bay location emphasizes a mix of home and accessories, including interesting wall decorations, designer bikes and luxury cosmetics.

A slightly hidden treasure trove, this Central shop carries unusual (for Hong Kong) folksy items, like handmade masks and natural dye clothes from all over China. Hunt for bags, cards, bamboo chopsticks and jade carved ornaments. This is a charming detour off HK’s luxury brand drag.

The flagship shop of David Tang, Shanghai Tang brought new glamour to traditional Chinese style clothes with electric-colored silk Mao jackets and authentic Chinese tailoring for women. The multi-story emporium now includes children’s clothing and a home collection.

Sin Sin’s boutique lives up to the atelier part of its name; clients can pick fabrics from the Hong Kong native’s extensive, handpicked collection and have them made into customized outfits. The less specific can also peruse or pore over pretty filigreed and sterling jewelry, as well as trendy handbags and women’s clothing, which, some say, recalls the abstract style of Japanese designer Issey Miyake. Sin Sin, who prefers to introduce her new collections via elaborate performances rather than runway shows, also showcases the works of both established and up-and-coming (primarily Southeast Asian) artists in her adjacent gallery.

In a city where European luxury brand names are everywhere, Sonjia is a breath of fresh fashion air. Sonjia Norman, who is half Korean, half English, sold her first clothes in 1998 with a belief that “women should be able to express their individuality through unique dressing.” Her one-of-a-kind designs, which incorporate materials like Japanese kimono fabric and antique embroideries trimmed with fur or lined in silk, inspired a cult following. At her multi-level retail shop in Wan Chai, she also carries some under-the-radar labels from abroad like Karry ‘O jewelry and Divine Tribe as well as homewares selected with her own stylish eye. Mostly, however,  this elegant boutique showcases Sonjia's own designs.

Located on the other side of Hong Kong island, this waterfront promenade stocked with bargains is well-known by every taxi driver. Along Main Street, look for supple bed linens at Tong’s Sheets and Linens (#55; 852-2813 0337) or add some colorful Chinese peasant paintings to your walls from Cottage Gallery (#61, 852-2813 1515). Cashmere aficionados male and female load up on the cuddly stuff at Fook Tak Ho (#40A, 852-2813 2002) and China Town (#39, 852-2813 0068) while women can tap their inner Suzy Wong with a traditional silk cheongsam from Lotus Village (#17, 852-2813 1233).