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Cheap Prada lures canny devils on suburban sprees |
The outlets are a magnet for shoppers with dreams. June 08, 2007 | |  | | Yeoju Premium Outlet. Shoppers stroll in the sunshine at the Yeoju Premium Shopping Outlet |
When
the devil wears Prada does she pay full price? The new rule for savvy
shopping devils in urban areas is to get Prada on the cheap 】 even if
they are not the fashion editor of Vogue.
In fact, when it comes
to shopping for brand-name goods, Seoul either has too small a range or
is too expensive and there is the question of whether any product with
a reasonable price is a fake. But there is another option for veteran
shoppers, apart from waiting for the Galleria Department Store to have
a seasonal sale. They can head out of Seoul to the city′s outskirts and
find a unique design that perfectly suits their budget and sense of
style.
Korea is full of fashion outlets, big and small, where big
name designers sell their products at impressive discounts. They
usually offer products from past seasons, but they still perfectly
reflect the quality of brands that people know and love. The outlets in
and around Seoul offer a diverse and rewarding shopping experience.
|  | | Ilsan outlet town. |
1. Yeoju Outlet
This
place is the talk of the town for local shoppers who have traveled to
Europe and the United States in search of luxury designer brands. The
response to Yeoju′s opening last weekend was telling, beginning with
the long line of people waiting under the sun outside the Gucci store.
The
outlet is the first Korean operation for the Simon Property Group and
it is the company′s first joint venture with Shinsegae International,
one of the nation′s leading retailers. The outlet, which is located in
Yeoju, Gyeonggi, a town that′s about an hour′s drive from downtown
Seoul, is the first outlet of its size in Korea to offer luxury
designer brands in one spot, complete with a food court and other
convenient facilities. The Simon company also has outlets in Los
Angeles, Mexico, Japan and New York.
Around 90 percent of the 120
tenants in Yeoju consist of international luxury designer brands
including Anna Molinari, St. John, Anna Sui, Burberry, DKNY, Dolce
& Gabbana, Gucci and Hugo Boss. The rest are a collection of
high-end local designer brands like Kuho. Just think of the outlet as a
cheaper version of a luxury department store in Seoul, but without
Chanel, Hermes and Louis Vuitton. On average products are marked down
by about 25 to 65 percent. A children′s trench coat at Burberry Kids
was on sale for 50,000 won ($55) on the opening day . Sandals and wedge
heels at Nine West start at 19,000 won. Weekday mornings are an ideal
time to shop 】 over 600,000 visitors came to the outlet on Sunday,
which is likely to be the busiest time of the week. There are
relatively few restaurants for the size of the complex. Additional
facilities include a Starbucks, Italian, Japanese and fusion
restaurants, wheelchair rentals, a locker service and a shop selling
special agricultural and regional products from Yeoju. The surrounding
environment is pleasant. The complex is designed in the style of
Spanish villas. There are trees and a spacious parking lot that
accommodates around 3,000 cars. Bring sunglasses. To visit by car, take
the Gyeongbu Expressway. You′ll see the outlet as soon you pass Yeoju
IC. The outlet is open from Monday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
except Chuseok and New Year′s Day. For more information call     (031) 880-1234 .
|  | | Mario Outlet. [JoongAng Ilbo] |
2.
Ilsan outlet town was originally a series of discount shops offering
golf wear for middle-aged men and women and it has gradually developed
into an outlet for 400 brands, although sportswear still takes up a
large portion of the space. There are brands like Guess, Polo and
Calvin Klein offering 40 to 60 percent discounts, although many of the
items are from earlier collections.
Friday is the best day to
shop, as new products arrive every Thursday and Friday. Women′s suits
start at 40,000 won. Products that had been sitting in regular stores
for more than six months are usually on sale for an 80 percent
discount. If you are not a fast food fan, eat before you visit. Parking
is nearby, but there is no subway station. Take advantage of weekday
shopping as a way to avoid crowds. To get there, drive to the Kintex IC
on the Olympic Highway, past Daehwa Station to the Agricultural Trade
Center. Business hours are from 10 to 8 p.m.
3. In the 1980s the
Mario Outlet in Gasan-dong was a giant factory compound full of textile
companies. Then it was an unpleasant symbol of drudgery with grey smoke
belching from factory chimneys. The transformation of the area took
place in the 1990s when many companies moved their manufacturing to
China, and the remaining ones opened a factory outlet as a way to sell
their leftover stocks at giveaway prices. The change produced a great
success. Men′s clothes (shirts, suits, pants) and casual sportswear are
the main merchandise available at Mario′s, but casual wear for young
women is also the outlet′s specialty. Benetton, Ralph Lauren and Banana
Republic have stores here offering clothes at wholesale prices. As the
number of foreign tourists rose, the outlet also began offering a tax
refund system. Typically an 80 percent discount on brand-name clothes
is offered at Mario, which is designed as a department store. There is
a food court and a children′s playroom. The stores are open from 10:30
a.m. through 8:30 p.m. everyday. Parking is nearby. For more
information, check out www.mario.co.kr
4.
Rodeo Street on Munjeong-dong is an outlet town, which picked up its
name from the famous Californian fashion strip in Beverly Hills. It has
street full of brand-name clothes mostly for young people. Most shops
here are brands you see on the second and third floor of local
department stores. Business and casual wear make up most of the
merchandise, including Michaa, Time and Mine, but golf wear and
children′s clothes are also on sale throughout the season. The area is
one of the first outlets in Korea to have started out with a few local
brands who opened their warehouses here to sell away stock from
previous seasons. Today the place is also a hot shopping mecca for
Southeast Asian tourists, and is named in major guidebooks. Take exit
one at Munjeong Station (line No. 8) and walk five minutes. Take
advantage of public transportation. Parking is limited. Most shops open
from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
5. Jukjeon Fashion Town is a magnet for
budget-conscious shoppers who haven′t given up hope that they can find
brand-name merchandise at affordable prices. The spacious parking lots
turn the outlet into a bustling shopping Mecca on weekends. The complex
is made up of over 200 fashion malls in two-to- four-story houses,
offering an average discount of 40 to 50 per cent with an additional 20
to 30 percent off in the spring and fall seasons. Ralph Lauren, Sisley
and Tommy Hilfiger are some of the signature brands in a town that
offers a mix of local and international brands. In ″Collected,℃ there
is an imported selection of high end products like Chanel and Gucci.
There are restaurants available. Most shops open from 10:30 a.m. to
9:30 p.m. everyday except New Year′s Day and Chuseok. To get there,
head toward the Jukjeon four-way interchange and take Seongnam
Boulevard from Ori Station (Bundang line).
By Park Soo-mee Staff Writer[myfeast@joongang.co.kr]
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