Images can be deceptive, and the photos sent to us of The Pedder Arcade look like set pieces of a film based in New York (Woody Allen’s Manhattan comes to mind)—the elongated ink-blue metallic arches, the high ceilings, and the stellar view of skyscrapers with billboards of American stars peddling the latest threads from designer brands all scream sophistication.
Except, of course, it’s not New York City—it’s the new retail haven in the heart of Central, on the fifth floor of the Beaux-Arts-style Pedder Building. From top to toe, the newly opened Pedder Arcade exudes white-glove perfection and debonair flair.
Mark Cho and Alan See, the always precisely dressed gentlemen behind The Armoury, had a fevered pandemic dream about creating a venue above the madding crowd in a legendary building built on fame. The Pedder Building has such a storied history to boot. For 17 incredible years, it was the legendary home of Shanghai Tang—the epitome of retro chinoiserie-chic powered by the force of nature that was David Tang. Over the years, several art galleries found sanctuary in the historical location.
Later came the dark ages—2012 to 2016—when the first four storeys transformed into a McMansion reeking of Abercrombie & Fitch’s cloying perfume and its parade of semi-clad men sold a coastal collegiate-inspired wardrobe, a travesty of taste. When the shutters came down, the vacant lot stayed an empty shell, haunted by memories of days gone by. Remember when the China Tee Club was the place for luncheons in the 1980s, when royals, first ladies, and the well-heeled came to shop as their chauffeured cars drove around in circles? Without a resident in site, the Pedder Building became famed for pop-ups galore—until now.
As the absolute antithesis of fast fashion, a refuge of eternal style has been unveiled at the stylish space now newly named The Pedder Arcade. Under the perfect symmetry of the arches in the long corridor, you will find fine fabrication, bespoke suiting, a coffee and whisky lounge, haute horology (Phillips Perpetual is offering rare sales of hard-to-find, exquisite collectibles), and more. Awaiting a liquor license, there’s a well-stocked bar smack-dab in the middle of the space; eventually, you’ll be able to get a decent shot of whisky (although its collection of rare Champagne is second to none) and a slice of nirvana.
We had great expectation from the duo, especially when we heard that Cho had parted with over 60 prized pieces from his coveted timepiece collection to fund part of this dream project and expand The Armoury. It was not just the usual suspects under hammer, either; from Calatravas, one with a Clous de Paris bezel among them, and Breguet Classiques, to a trifecta of Grand Seikos and a breathtaking Ronde de Cartier from the Collection Privée. One simply does not part with such rarities on a whim, but with purpose and intention.
“Indeed, quite a bit of the money [from the sales] went towards this project, as well as upgrades to the Armoury shops in New York,” Cho tells Robb Report Hong Kong as we congratulate him on the success of his stellar auction. “The auction went well and I actually gifted everyone who bought a watch at auction a jacket as well. It was a really great way to meet the new owners and I made some nice new friends, too.”
Building on a greater dream, he parted ways with his storied timepieces and went knocking on the doors of frequent collaborator Katherine Wong. She, of the eponymous design firm, who also worked with the boys on earlier iterations of The Armoury, was familiar with the beats of expectation: to create a retail space inspired by English shopping arcades. “I drew ideas from a lot of European architectural elements to develop the idea [and] the design was also greatly influenced by the history of the Pedder Building, being the last pre-war building on the block,” says Wong. “The beautiful arch windows located on this level and extremely high ceilings also steered the course towards the final design. I always try as best as possible to preserve and respect the existing structure and integrity of the building; wherever possible, I always expose existing beams and columns that reflect the history of the pre-war era.”
Despite facing Landmark and looking into the windows of buildings sandwiched together on every side, there’s plenty of natural light streaming in, tanning the stained oak veneer. “I worked closely with the contractor and factory on specifying the random pattern of the veneer to make sure it created the most natural layout on the façades. I chose a wood stain that was more of a medium cappuccino brown so that it is not too dark and gives off a golden glow when the sun hits it, creating an ambience that is pleasantly warm.”
What the colour scheme creates is a warm and austere elegance that acts as a blank canvas for the finely curated menswear. For anyone familiar with the sophisticated hues and patterns of The Armoury, the wall-to-wall selection in the offering is filled with European names and stellar brands uncommon in the sartorial vernacular: we find Nigel Cabourn (a British brand inspired by history and vintage military wear) and Drumhor (established since 1770 with a legacy rooted in the Scottish Highlands; look for the signature “razorblade” pattern). In collaboration with Drapers, Atelier Pedder gives space to The Armoury’s favourite fabric mills and merchants to artfully display their wears and tears.
“We have a Merchant Fox (Fox Brothers) takeover of the Atelier Pedder soon,” chimes in Alan See via email, who is travelling for work and wedding. (It comes as no surprise that many get their groomsmen’s suits and groomed look under this blessed roof.) “We are also in the process of populating our walls with [art]works from Mr Slowboy (Fei Wang). Other than that, we have a few exciting items in the works, but too soon to let you know.”
What the dapper gent enjoys about the careful curation is the boys-to-men range of distinguished drapers they’ve introduced to the city. In the past, Cho put his arms around, and often into, Cohérence overcoats, Caruso cashmere-and-silk sweaters, and, of course, he owns and champions Drake’s. Vitale Barberis Canonico cloth doesn’t just roll off the tongue as easily as, say, Tom Ford, but Cho deep-dives into historical brands with a story, a legacy, and a unifying standard of excellence. Of his selections, “these are all brands that I personally trust and interact with on a regular basis,” says Cho as we walk down the oblong corridor. “Some of them have a great deal of Hong Kong exposure, such as Phillips, but others such as Nigel Cabourn and Drumohr deserve greater recognition for the excellent products they make. We tend to get customers who care about what they’re buying; they want to know the story of the product and how it was made. People who know great products tend to be our regulars.”
When asked whether the design had a private-club, “alpha-male” patina, the architect and designer counters with, “I don’t think I specifically design with a masculine vibe in mind, but as I was designing the Armoury store at the same time, the parallels between the two designs do shine through. I also knew that Mark would like the floor to have a coherent group of tenants so I wanted to make sure it would be a design that was consistent with that vision. I drew a lot of inspiration from the European modern era with characteristics like strong, bold lines; these tend to feel more masculine as many were designed by male architects.”
The Pedder Arcade’s vibe isn’t a forbidding “you many not sit with us” elitism, but more of a safe haven above the din of a busy business district. “Being in the heart of Central amongst the hustle and bustle, I think people need a quiet sanctuary to clear their minds and souls, hence I did take inspiration from the chaos below to create a space that is the opposite of what is downstairs,” says Wong. “One reason why Hongkongers love to travel to Europe for vacation is to have a break from the chaotic life, to be able to walk around in small, quaint towns with winding alleys to discover those quirky and unique little shops that sell uncommon things—this is the feeling we are trying to create in The Pedder Arcade.”
In buying art, you’ve heard repeatedly to only buy what you love; the philosophy transfers to menswear, too. “It’s hard to wear things you don’t love. It’s also impossible to look great in clothes you are not comfortable in,” says Cho, who gives sound advice to aspiring gents who want to dress the part. “Start with staples to build your knowledge and experience. Don’t go to extremes in terms of fit. Learn to pay attention to silhouette, colour, and texture. Style can be taught. It’s something that you learn and grow into. Money helps in that it allows you to try a lot of different things quickly, but buying too many things can be counterproductive, too, because you never dwell on an item or an idea for long enough to fully appreciate it.”
We at Robb Report Hong Kong were privy to a first look long before the construction was complete and the paint had dried, and were suitably enamoured from the get-go of the lengthy edifice and the carved niche and the iconography that was being built. When you walk in, start at The Armoury on your right to riffle through tailored sport coats or semi-tailored safari jackets as a first pick, move onto Drumohr for fine knitwear for layering, check out the selection of watches at Phillips, broaden your casualwear horizon with Nigel Cabourn’s military-inspired designs, “and then finish with a slow, quiet drink at the Study.”
“How about two drinks with a view?”
Done.
