It might be hard to believe, but the party to be at tonight is actually a book launch. That's because architect/designer Alexander Wong's soiree for his tome Naked + White won't just be a stuffy literary affair. There will be no tweed jackets sipping wine. Instead, his blowout will include a fashion show, a female kick-boxing demonstration and a boatload of famous celebrity friends.
Something of a man-about-town, Wong started the successful design firm Asiacity, developed a popular cartoon character called Jidou and has won numerous awards for his architectural designs. Now, he's put his architectural manifesto in print. 'I called it Naked + White because architecture should act as background and the people inside should be the focus... I believe in design by freedom, not design by envy.' Well, the Che Guevara of local design is going to liberate his book in style. The celebratory locale is a large kitchen and bath emporium in Wan Chai and he promises lots of 'lights, colour and music'. Plus, there'll be some real ass-kicking on show by Joey Lee, the women's welterweight kick-boxing champion of British Columbia.
But for all of Wong's fighting words, he admits he's a man of peace, not war. 'This event promotes crossover, not cross-fire.'
