Be prepared. I am about to show you 3 spectacular souvenirs that gave our credit card a heavy workout in Hong Kong last year. I admit. I splurged. But not as much as I would have if I bought my Chloe, YSL and Repetto shoes at full price. I was very lucky on my 3 day trip to HK to end up on the very top (13th) floor of the Times Square Building – the Times Square Bazaar – for the Pedder Warehouse sale. My inside sources told me that there had been designer shoe, bag and clothing (eg, Salvatore Ferragamo)  sales there in the past. We were on the top floor, but the prices were rock bottom! I was totally unaware of the unparalleled shopping experience I was about to encounter.

Wait for it…There were shoes (the hippest labels from to Givenchy to Giuseppe Zanotti) from every fabulous designer you could dream of, arranged in size order, at up to 80% off RRP. YES 80% OFF! Where else could you get them at that price? They also had a deal – the more items you bought, the more discount you received. Did I forget to mention that there were Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Marni and so many other designer bags also on sale?

Yes, I drooled, many times.  Yes, I managed to still give style advice to other ladies while carrying out my own shoe triage. And yes, my heart skipped a beat each time I saw a pair that I adored, in my size, ready to be tried on by me. When I put on the graffiti-design Louboutin flats with the signature red-lacqured soles, I felt like Cinderella eagerly trying on her glass slipper. Time did stop for a few hours while my Gingko-biloba-deficient brain tried to act as a calculator, working out currency conversion rates as well as discount schemes. I looked at my husband lovingly with a dozen pairs of lust-haves (which I claimed to be must-haves), and he had a look that told me he wished that we had lost our credit card.

It was one of the most difficult selection processes I’ve had to carry out: I had to narrow down my purchases to 3- the 3 I would definitely wear, the 3 that flattered me and the 3 that would stand the test of time…So I chose the pair with the greatest saving, the pair that I’ve yearned for a while, and the pair that my hubbie chose.  See if you can match which pair is which =)   All three pairs of shoes have leather upper, leather lining and leather soles.  Try saying that really fast.

Repetto ballet flats: the best ballet flats on the market. Exquiste craftsmanship, luxury inside-out. Repetto is the epitome of French chic.

Next are some grey/black leather YSL pumps featuring patent leather tips and wooden cylindrical heels.  I’ve worn them once and they were so comfortable that I could run in them.  When I was trying these on, I also helped a stylish lady next to me buy a pair of the same shoes in half a size up.  The two-tone shoes are a classic, and the wood-grain heels are a surprising and modernising feature.  Grey is my favourite colour!

And the lucky third pair- my red peep-toe Mary-Jane Chloes in buttery soft leather. They are an architectural piece also featuring wooden heels in a sumptuous colour. Thanks to their great heights I feel like a model in them.   

Have you guessed which pair is which? Which one did I buy because my husband liked them, which one did I buy because they were the best value and which pair did I buy because I’ve always been a fan?

Now guess which pair is taller.  (HINT: not the ballet flats)

…

It’s a tough one!  

These three pairs of shoes are what all real shoes should be like – the absolute best quality, craftsmanship and style – that’s why they became my treasured SHOEvenirs from Hong Kong.