By Cathy Yan
G.O.D.’s whimsical take on local culture has drawn critics, including the Hong Kong Police. But Douglas Young, co-founder of the company, wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Hong Kong is way too conservative,” he says. “You can’t be creative and be conservative. By being creative, you have to break taboos and boundaries. You have to ignore people who say that ‘this is not the right way.’”
Since launching in 1996, G.O.D., which stands for Goods of Desire, has been turning local wares into modern, edgy designs. As the creative brain behind the brand, Mr. Young takes inspiration from unlikely Hong Kong icons such as woven plastic bags, old mailboxes and crumbling apartment facades.