The Sunday Times, March 18, 2007
What do you do with an exercise bike that you don't use anymore? Hang your clothes on it and use it as an expensive clothes hanger. That's what Briton David Smith did, but one hopes he doesn't carry that idea to his shops.
The 41-year-old is the vice-president of American lifestyle brand Dockers San Francisco in charge of the Asia-Pacific division.
He spends about 70 per cent of his time travelling around the world, and every time he shops, he's also checking out the competition. He has been based in Singapore for the last 16 months.
Married to a Dutch housewife, Smith has two boys aged 21/2 and four. Their fave shopping haunt is the Hamleys toy store in London. His is the Apple store in New York City.
Where and when was your best shopping trip?
To me, the experience of shopping is just as important as the product I buy. When I was living in Japan from 1999 to 2000, I had the unique experience of exploring the smaller retail shops in Kyoto and visited an antique store there. It was exciting to be surrounded by the arts and crafts of Japan.
I bought a hand-painted silkscreen painting of cherry blossoms for about $1,500. It is now displayed on a wall in my house.
In Tokyo, there are different areas to go to, depending on what you want to buy. Ginza is good for antique kimonos, Akihabara is famous for electronic goods while Shibuya and Harajuku have great fashionwear.
Another place that I like is the Apple store in New York City in Fifth Avenue.
That's my favourite store in the world because of its architectural design and the range of products available.
There are more than 100 Macs and iPods for customers to try before they buy, along with a large assortment of accessories.
The building is an entire cube made of glass and within it, a huge lit-up Apple logo is suspended in mid-air while the shopping area is located beneath it. It is a modern and dynamic design.
You can get service from experts who can give very good advice because they understand the brand and the products very well.
Where in the world offers the best buys in terms of variety, price and quality?
London. There is a lot of variety and this diverse and multi-ethnic city is a leading centre of fashion. Regent Street in London's West End is a good place to shop. It has another of my favourites - the department store Liberty. There's also the Levi's flagship store and Hamleys toy store, which is my boys' favourite.
What's the strangest thing you've ever bought?
A clothes hanger in the shape of an exercise bike. Actually, it used to be an exercise bike, but I've used it only a few times, so now I use it to hang my clothes.
I got rid of it when I was moving from Brussels to Singapore. Naturally, my wife complained about it, that was why it was thrown out.
What's the most expensive thing you have ever bought?
An IWC watch in Hong Kong in 2004. It cost me $14,000.
I had seen another cheaper design on the Internet and wanted to buy that, but when I saw the real thing, it didn't look as nice and I liked this one better.
I didn't tell my wife about it for two weeks, but when she found out, she didn't say anything except wonder why I did not tell her.
What do you usually look out for when shopping overseas and why?
When I travel, I want something that is unique to the country. In Japan, for example, I bought Japanese pottery, while in Holland, I always buy cheese because my wife is Dutch and she misses the cheese.
My house is filled with things from different countries - a rug from Pakistan, paintings from South Korea and also paintings and furniture from Hong Kong and China.
Have you ever been cheated while shopping overseas?
My wife and I were in Beijing for a holiday more than 10 years ago. We went to a government pottery factory for a tour and at the end of it, we were taken to a shop where I bought a vase for about $300.
Later that evening, we saw the same vase going for $76 in a shop, and I knew then that I had been ripped off.
What do you do with an exercise bike that you don't use anymore? Hang your clothes on it and use it as an expensive clothes hanger. That's what Briton David Smith did, but one hopes he doesn't carry that idea to his shops.
The 41-year-old is the vice-president of American lifestyle brand Dockers San Francisco in charge of the Asia-Pacific division.He spends about 70 per cent of his time travelling around the world, and every time he shops, he's also checking out the competition. He has been based in Singapore for the last 16 months.
Married to a Dutch housewife, Smith has two boys aged 21/2 and four. Their fave shopping haunt is the Hamleys toy store in London. His is the Apple store in New York City.
Where and when was your best shopping trip?
To me, the experience of shopping is just as important as the product I buy. When I was living in Japan from 1999 to 2000, I had the unique experience of exploring the smaller retail shops in Kyoto and visited an antique store there. It was exciting to be surrounded by the arts and crafts of Japan.
I bought a hand-painted silkscreen painting of cherry blossoms for about $1,500. It is now displayed on a wall in my house.
In Tokyo, there are different areas to go to, depending on what you want to buy. Ginza is good for antique kimonos, Akihabara is famous for electronic goods while Shibuya and Harajuku have great fashionwear.
Another place that I like is the Apple store in New York City in Fifth Avenue.
That's my favourite store in the world because of its architectural design and the range of products available.
There are more than 100 Macs and iPods for customers to try before they buy, along with a large assortment of accessories.
The building is an entire cube made of glass and within it, a huge lit-up Apple logo is suspended in mid-air while the shopping area is located beneath it. It is a modern and dynamic design.
You can get service from experts who can give very good advice because they understand the brand and the products very well.
Where in the world offers the best buys in terms of variety, price and quality?
London. There is a lot of variety and this diverse and multi-ethnic city is a leading centre of fashion. Regent Street in London's West End is a good place to shop. It has another of my favourites - the department store Liberty. There's also the Levi's flagship store and Hamleys toy store, which is my boys' favourite.
What's the strangest thing you've ever bought?
A clothes hanger in the shape of an exercise bike. Actually, it used to be an exercise bike, but I've used it only a few times, so now I use it to hang my clothes.
I got rid of it when I was moving from Brussels to Singapore. Naturally, my wife complained about it, that was why it was thrown out.
What's the most expensive thing you have ever bought?
An IWC watch in Hong Kong in 2004. It cost me $14,000.
I had seen another cheaper design on the Internet and wanted to buy that, but when I saw the real thing, it didn't look as nice and I liked this one better.
I didn't tell my wife about it for two weeks, but when she found out, she didn't say anything except wonder why I did not tell her.
What do you usually look out for when shopping overseas and why?
When I travel, I want something that is unique to the country. In Japan, for example, I bought Japanese pottery, while in Holland, I always buy cheese because my wife is Dutch and she misses the cheese.
My house is filled with things from different countries - a rug from Pakistan, paintings from South Korea and also paintings and furniture from Hong Kong and China.
Have you ever been cheated while shopping overseas?
My wife and I were in Beijing for a holiday more than 10 years ago. We went to a government pottery factory for a tour and at the end of it, we were taken to a shop where I bought a vase for about $300.
Later that evening, we saw the same vase going for $76 in a shop, and I knew then that I had been ripped off.
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