Goods of Desire – or G.O.D. as it’s more commonly known – is one of our favourite design stores here in Hong Kong. We like to think of it as a brasher, more colourful version of Muji. Or, given that there’s a (perhaps dubiously) strong similarity in their brand identities, it might be more straightforward to call it “a Chinese version of Muji”. Whatever. The point is that we like it.
We also like the new amenity kits that Cathay Pacific has commissioned from G.O.D. for their Premium Economy passengers, and which began appearing in mid-October. There will be four designs a year (two for outbound and two for inbound), which means you’ll return home with a different model than the one you were given on the way out. The idea is that they’re collectible — which is a decent enough selling point if you’re prone to collecting wash bags, which, oddly enough, and without intending to, we are.
The G.O.D. kits come with buttons on the back of each bag, allowing them to be attached together as a decorative wall hanging. The first two designs to appear are Joy and Fortune: Joy depicts Chinese gods drinking coffee, reading, and using laptops in-flight, while Fortune features pleasing monochrome spiral clouds. Each bag is made from 90% recycled material, and includes a toothbrush made with biodegradable cornstarch and cellulose.
As well as new soft product, Cathay Pacific has been investing in its long haul Business Class seating. Selected daily flights between Heathrow and Hong Kong now carry the airline’s new and improved fully flat seat in J class. By February 2013, all 30 of the airline’s Boeing 777-300ER planes and their 20 long-haul A330-300s will be fitted with the product (but not the B747s, which are being taken out of service permanently). The new seats convert into 82-inch long beds, are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, and all have direct aisle access. At the same time as the long haul fleet is being upgraded, a new J class seat is being introduced into the regional fleet. Seat pitch has been increased by two inches (to 47 inches), width has been increased an inch (to 21 inches) and the seating now has a “lazy-Z” style recline and comes in its own fixed shell. Each seat has a multi-port connector for smart phones as well as an iPhone, iPod or iPad connector.