Indie design hub in Penang

A SECOND premium outlet mall is being built in Malaysia - at Batu Kawan, Penang, specifically - but what's more exciting for adventurous and arty fashionistas is its plan to be the creative and retail hub for Asia's leading indie brands. The RM300 million (S$110.9 million) Design Village by PE Land is on track to open in December 2016, and will also house some 150 premium and luxury brand stores. So far, the fashion tenants which have signed on are Hugo Boss, Armani Exchange, Calvin Klein, DKNY, and Esprit.

Like all malls, Designer Village will be a one-stop family place for shopping, eating and lifestyle experiences. "But we also aim for it to be a hub for learning, art, culture, creativity and technology," says PE Land's director Joanna Ling. PE Land (Penang) is a subsidiary of PE Land, the engineering, construction, retail and property development arm of Borneo-based conglomerate Pan Sarawak Holdings. It is also the developer of The Spring Shopping Centre in Kuching.

A key aim - which will make this project stand out - is to be a creative hub where retail is concerned, says Richard Hsu, the creative content consultant for Design Village. "We want to be different from other premium outlet malls and retail experiences, and be able to sustain this energy continuously," says Mr Hsu, who plans to leverage on his work and TEDx contacts to rope in an international stable of collaborators and consultants. The Shanghai-born Mr Hsu, whose background is in advertising and branding, is a full-time lecturer and programme developer at Tongji University's Graduate Design and Innovation and also founder of TEDx Shanghai.