Suzan Dann, our intrepid culture-vulture has nominated herself to inspire us, every fortnight, with design that has impressed her on her travels around the globe. Her first reportage comes from the Fragrant Harbour itself – Hong Kong. It was there that she came across the emporium that is ‘Goods Of Desire‘ and their provocative private joke. Here’s what she says about it:

“G.O.D. (Goods of Desire) is a lifestyle company on a quest to identify Hong Kong culture and promote and preserve it’s uniqueness. GOD is the phonetic sound of the Cantonese ‘to live better’, and the stores are filled with books, furniture, clothing and housewares.

It creates and sells products that have a modern twist on traditional Chinese items, and some of their best products give the sense that the designers are sharing local ‘inside jokes’ with you. Some of their products include bags with prints of Chinese text adverts that look nice to any non-reader of Chinese – but in fact are pornographic ‘personals’, and its T-shirt slogans that read ‘Delay No More!’ which also sounds innocent in English but means something like, ‘go *&%$ your mother,’ in Cantonese. Underlying all the humour seems to be an interesting and honest exploration of place, people, culture and what makes Hong Kong uniquely Hong Kong.”

For more: http://theessentialist.blogspot.com/2009/01/saks-fifth-avenue-spring-2009-campaign.html