Kelly Wong and Kim Bui Kollar on bringing resort retail to Rosewood Hong Kong
Jul 17, 2025
Veteran buyers Kelly Wong and Kim Bui Kollar are rolling up their sleeves and bringing their decades of luxury experience to Rosewood Hong Kong’s hotel gift shop. They speak to Zaneta Cheng and Germaine Lau about slowing down, making connections and transforming resort retail for tourists and locals alike
In a retail landscape increasingly shaped by digital convenience, Beaureguards makes a strong case for the power of physical presence. As Wong and Bui Kollar explain, “Everyone shops online – you can see everything, but rarely feel it.” Even in department stores, the experience can
be overwhelming. Rows upon rows of merchandise rarely invite intimacy. At Beaureguards, the scale is different – and deliberate. It’s tightly edited. Everything on the shelf has passed through the founders’ hands and hearts.
“It’s an experience to walk through, look at something, touch it and buy it on the spot,” Wong says. That kind of immediacy – of connection – is rare in today’s retail world. The shop invites guests to slow down, to linger and to interact with products beyond a scroll or a thumbnail. In doing so, it reclaims the magic of discovery.
From the very beginning, Beaureguards was built on feeling. The name itself, as Bui Kollar explains, “sounded really historic, but also like a place and a family name – translated all over and feel-good.” It even sounds like “best regards”, a subtle nod to postcards sent mid-journey. That layered meaning reflects the brand’s ethos – personal, open-ended and quietly sentimental.
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The logo, too, tells a story. Instead of a picture-perfect palm, Beaureguards is marked by what they call a “kooky coconut tree” – a little windblown, a little imperfect. The inspiration came from a photo Wong took during a surf trip in Bali: a wild, tangled tree caught mid-motion. That image became a symbol, not just of vacation but of individuality. A visual signature that hints at resort life, but always with a twist.
Even the finer details are built with care. The logo crest, for instance, echoes a traditional family coat of arms – blending a sense of legacy with playfulness. Every touchpoint in the store, from the shopping bags to the typography, speaks to that mix of warmth and intention.
Working with creative agency Thirty30 Creative, Bui Kollar and Wong brought the brand to life across materials and formats. One highlight: a swatch of copper-toned, sun-kissed paper that Bui Kollar became obsessed with. “It captured the moment of sunset on vacation,” she recalls. The pair sourced a production partner willing to use during the Rosewood Summit. Tasked with creating a meaningful shopping experience, she curated a collection of unique brands and transformed one space into a library room stacked with hundreds of magazines. The project, completed in just three weeks, was a hit. And it sparked a question: why were hotel gift shops so often phoned in?
“There was no rhyme or reason – they were consistently overlooked,” Bui Kollar says. That realisation led to a conversation with Wong, and the idea for Beaureguards began to take shape. What if a hotel gift shop was given the same level of intention, curation and aesthetic detail as a fashion boutique? What if it was treated not as an amenity, but a destination?
Beaureguards doesn’t target a single demographic. It’s not just for locals. Not just for tourists. Not just for mainlanders. It’s a hybrid space – one that invites people to connect with Hong Kong through the lens of fashion, craft and personal expression. Whether you’re discovering an underground label, picking up a scent you’ve never smelled before or revisiting a brand you’ve known for years in a new context, the experience is designed to surprise and delight.
When asked about the future, Wong and Bui Kollar are clear: they envision Beaureguards in every Rosewood property. But no matter where the shop goes, the core remains the same. It’s about slowing down. About thoughtful selection. About emotional connection. Most of all, it’s about the vibe – chill, easy, stylish and entirely one-of-a-kind.
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