Goods of Desire
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Lifestyle design, Retail |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Douglas Young |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | Hong Kong, International (London, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, Sydney, Shanghai, Taiwan, Singapore) |
Key people | Douglas Young (Founder) |
| Products | Lifestyle products, home décor, fashion accessories, upscale gifts |
Goods of Desire (), commonly abbreviated as G.O.D., is a lifestyle design and retail brand based in Hong Kong, established in 1996 by Douglas Young. The brand is distinguished for its whimsical reinterpretation of Hong Kong’s cultural elements. The acronym 'G.O.D.' phonetically resembles the Cantonese phrase "住好啲" (jyu hou di), which translates to "live better."
By 2023, G.O.D. maintains five retail outlets in Hong Kong and extends its reach internationally through wholesale distribution and brand licensing agreements with boutiques and department stores located in cities such as London, Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, Sydney, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Singapore.
History
Douglas Young, an architect by profession, founded G.O.D. in 1996 with the mission to design and produce lifestyle and home accessories deeply inspired by Hong Kong’s culture. The brand’s inaugural store was situated in a warehouse on Ap Lei Chau (which closed in 2014). Within two years, additional shops opened on Hollywood Road in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui (the latter closed in 2012). The Hollywood Road location gained attention for its 2012 Instagram mural collaboration with street artist Alex Croft.
In 2001, G.O.D. launched a flagship store covering 20,000 square feet at Leighton Centre in Causeway Bay (closed 2013), followed by the establishment of the 'Delay No Mall' lifestyle complex there in 2008. That same year marked the debut of the 'Hong Kong Street Culture Gallery' at the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre in Shek Kip Mei, which continues to house their design studio and headquarters.
The brand further expanded with stores at The Peak Galleria (closed 2015), Stanley Plaza, and Sai Kung by 2011. In July 2012, G.O.D. ventured into Singapore with a 6,000 square foot flagship at Clarke Quay (closed 2015). In 2014, it became a key tenant at PMQ in Soho (closed 2020) and also reopened a location in Causeway Bay (closed end of 2019).
By 2015, G.O.D. had entered the Taiwanese market with three stores (all closed by 2017) and introduced two pop-up shops in Hong Kong: one located in the Departures Hall of Hong Kong International Airport and another at Lab Concept in Admiralty (closed 2020). Early 2016 saw the opening of a Shenzhen store (closed 2019). Additional retail points were added at Hong Kong International Airport (2018) and Hong Kong station.
Following three difficult years due to pandemic-related restrictions, G.O.D. reaffirmed its dedication to the local community by inaugurating a new flagship store near Lan Kwai Fong at 6 D'Aguilar Street in Central.
Concept
Drawing inspiration from both urban landscapes and rural settings across Asia, G.O.D. embodies an Eastern lifestyle alternative to Western living models. This juxtaposition is particularly pronounced in Hong Kong, where contemporary urban life coexists with traditional Chinese customs. Founder Douglas Young envisioned creating a brand rooted firmly in iconic Hong Kong imagery, convinced that successful brands express national identity. His objective was to develop products infused with unique Hong Kong characteristics that inspire pride and reverence.
Young prioritized elevating everyday Hong Kong traditions into remarkable designs that showcase the city’s cultural adaptability. The brand strives to present consumers with 'something desirable' they had not previously conceived.
Products
G.O.D. creates lifestyle products in-house that emphasize fashion, home décor, and upscale gifts, all drawing inspiration from Hong Kong's cultural heritage. Their designs incorporate motifs such as the Chinese "Double Happiness" symbol, vintage newspaper classifieds, retro-style packaging, advertisements from the 1950s, and classic letter boxes. Among their hallmark products are the "Bishop" and "Rook" bean bags, which take cues from Chinese chess pieces, alongside pencil cases shaped like traditional Chinese ballet slippers.
In 2003, the company introduced its distinctive slogan, "Delay No More," an English phrase that phonetically mirrors a Cantonese expletive but serves as an empowering message. This slogan is prominently displayed on T-shirts and other merchandise, reinforcing G.O.D.'s blend of boldness and cultural authenticity.
Crossover projects
- Starbucks
In June 2009, G.O.D. teamed up with Starbucks to launch a "Bing Sutt Corner" at Starbucks’ Duddell Street location in Central. This concept merges the nostalgic Bing Sutt, a traditional Hong Kong-style tea house, with contemporary coffee shop aesthetics. Starbucks described the collaboration as "a tribute to Hong Kong’s heritage and spirit," created alongside the renowned local brand G.O.D.
- Rugby Sevens
For the 2012 Hong Kong Sevens event, G.O.D. partnered with sports apparel company Kukri Sports to develop official tournament merchandise featuring a combined "Kukri x G.O.D." emblem that incorporated elements from the original Hong Kong flag. The collection included polo shirts, traditional Chinese jackets, boxer shorts, ladies’ polos inspired by Cheongsam, and bags. A percentage of proceeds was donated to the Foodlink Foundation.
- Cathay Pacific
Beginning in October 2012, Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific introduced premium economy amenity kits designed by G.O.D. These collectible kits could be connected to form decorative wall art and showcased themes such as 'Joy' and 'Fortune,' illustrating Chinese deities and auspicious cloud patterns. Crafted using 90% recycled plastic bottles and biodegradable materials, G.O.D. has continued to design two new kits biannually for Cathay Pacific.
Maxim's From 2009 through 2014, G.O.D. collaborated with Maxim's bakery in Hong Kong to create innovative mooncakes for the Chinese Mid-autumn festival. They reinvented traditional mooncakes with playful shapes resembling bottoms across eight variations, filled with classic white lotus seed paste and salted egg yolks.
In 2013, G.O.D., in partnership with Mei-Xin Fine Goods of Hong Kong, launched the highly sought-after Mahjong Box Pineapple Cake Gift Box. These gift sets sold out rapidly following their release.
Exhibition
September 2012 saw G.O.D. work with Sino Art to present The Street Market Symphony Exhibition at Olympian City, marking their inaugural solo art show within a shopping mall setting. The exhibition featured multimedia installations housed inside large red lampshades symbolizing Hong Kong’s iconic wet markets.
Between 2010 and 2014, Young and G.O.D. crafted the Club Lounge design for Art HK and its successor event, Art Basel Hong Kong, highlighting symbols of Hong Kong culture. The first year’s focus was on the Copper Towers.
Controversy
In 2007, Young along with seventeen staff members were detained by law enforcement for selling T-shirts displaying the '14K' logo associated with a local triad gang. Authorities alleged that this breached an 1845 anti-triad statute known as the Societies Ordinance, which bans possession of triad-related emblems. Police seized 88 shirts and over 500 postcards bearing the '14K' insignia from several stores located in Central, Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Yuen Long.
Young explained that the design referred to 14 karat gold rather than any triad connection. All detained employees were released the following day, and since then the '14K' T-shirts have become coveted collector’s items.