Months of civil unrest has hit our city hard, and the fast-fashion chain Forever 21 has certainly felt the brunt of it as the company officially shut its last Hong Kong brick-and-mortar store in Mong Kok (the site of numerous protests the past few months).
Loved by tweens to young adults, Forever 21's mall presence and low average prices have long made it a one-stop-shop for affordable, trendy fashion around the world. Even Blake Lively once admitted she wore the brand's clothes on the red carpet! The brand first came to Hong Kong in 2011 with a six-storey flagship store in Causeway Bay, before expanding to Mong Kok five years later, and finally closing the Causeway Bay store two years ago.
Yet as the American retailer continues to be hit by challenges from every corner (debt, lawsuits and more), the company was forced to file for bankruptcy in August and has started to close its 'unprofitable' stores one by one.
Turns out nothing is forever after all, certainly not Forever 21.