Chickeeduck, a famous Hong Kong clothing brand, announced on social media on May 9 that its last physical store in Causeway Bay and the online store would officially cease operation after June 30, simultaneously after 33 years in business.
Chickeeduck’s Executive Director, Herbert Chow Siu-lung, expressed on social media that it was hard for him to let go and close down the business for good.
However, not only has Chickeeduck’s supply chain been cut off in China, but those in Southeast Asian countries have also been constantly harassed.
Chow feels that it has just become too pointless; Chow does not want his staff and colleagues to keep struggling.
In the post, the Chickeeduck’s owner thanked everyone for their support and love over the past 33 years. Chow expressed his honor for being able to contribute a small part to the city and an opportunity to offer the best quality and service to his customers.
“If I were given the chance to do it all over again, knowing the results today, I would still do the same.” Chow expressed.
Chickeeduck also mentioned in their announcement that ending the 33-year brand was an “extremely tough decision.”
Chickeeduck said it had been committed to providing the best products and services for the public in the past 33 years.
The brand sincerely feels each other’s love for the brand and appreciates everyone for their past support, trust, and love.
Desire To Do More For Hong Kong
Chow has been advocating for Hongkongers actively and regularly on political issues since 2019. In 2020, Chow joined the Legislative Council Election, hoping to become a legislative member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong/Sports, Performing Arts, Culture, and Publication.Chow was the only pro-democracy candidate the election director confirmed and approved.
However, former Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, postponed the 2020 election using the Emergency Law for a year, citing that “the pandemic situation had been raging.”
In 2020, Chow placed Lady Liberty (a statue) of Hong Kong, a democratic icon, in multiple Chickeeduck stores and the statue of Liu Xiaobo (Nobel Peace Prize winner) to display his take on democracy and freedom.
However, by doing so, he attracted endless political repression. Some of the mall owners where his shops were located even asked him to remove the statues of Lady Liberty due to “violation of leasing contracts.”
National Security Police’s Unannounced Visit
On May 6, 2021, The National Security Police went to Chickeeduck’s Tsuen Wan store with a search warrant on suspicion of violating the National Security Law. The police did not give any reason for their search.From the now-defunct Stand News archives, the report said the Hong Kong Police claimed they received a tip that Chickeeduck stores had violated the Hong Kong National Law.
When asked why they searched his store, Chow said the police on the scene responded rudely and said they did not need to answer his questions.
Pro-Beijing Groups Smear and Disturb the Business
On May 6, 2021, official government mouthpiece Wenweipo wrote in their newspaper that Chickeeduck branches’ decoration contained signage of “Liberate Hong Kong. Revolution of Our Times” (a protest slogan that the government unofficially bans), and gigantic “rioters’ statue” (namely Lady Liberty of Hong Kong), to blatantly promote “Hong Kong independence.”The police’s unannounced search drew many Hong Kong citizens to shop at Chickeeduck’s Tseung Wan store on the same day to back democracy and the clothing brand, which had only been open for three days at the time.
On the exterior wall of the said Chickeeduck’s store was a massive graffiti saying, “Liberate Hong Kong. Revolution Of Our Times,” a primary slogan of the 2019 Hong Kong Protests banned by the government.
Although no one was arrested, Chow said Chickeeduck and its factories since then had been constantly smeared by pro-Beijing media, supply chains being interrupted and blocked.
While Chickeeduck faced renewal issues with store leases, its employees were constantly disturbed and threatened.
The combination of various disturbances was the primary reason for the decrease in Chickeeduck’s stores in Hong Kong.
Chow’s Political Life
Since 2012, Chow has been active in sports development in Hong Kong, particularly tennis. He became the president of the Hong Kong Tennis Association in the same year.In 2014, Chow participated in the Hong Kong Open, a professional tennis tournament, as the chairman of the Hong Kong Tennis Association.
Meanwhile, in the same year, sit-in protests took place on the streets of Hong Kong when later, a political movement, the Umbrella Revolution, emerged.
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