Ku and Andrew Christian are hosting a pride party at cocktail bar, Light Lounge!
Our favourite Sohocialites, KU Group, are celebrating Pride by doing what they do best – hot boys and ALCOHOL.
KU have got a reputation for being iconic at Pride. We KNOW we say ‘iconic’ way too much, but it actually applies here. Ku at Pride are iconic, truly. It has a lot to do with their location – both their Soho and Chinatown branches are at the very heart of pride proceedings, and they do all sorts, from glitter to gogo boys and outrageous street parties.
And this year, there’s been a refreshingly sophisticated new shot added to the mix, with their lascivious lounge of louchery, Light Lounge, located above their Lisle Street venue. We’ve been before, it’s all sophisticated booths and gorgeous olives.
They’re having a cocktail soiree in honour of Pride, on Saturday 8th July from 5pm to 3am. They’ve partnered with Stoli (sweetie darling!) to bring you a range of fabulous vodka cocktails. And as if THAT weren’t enough, underwear mogul Andrew Christian HIMSELF will be on hand, bringing summer vibes from LA and handing out exclusive copies of his steamily sophisticated new coffee table book.
We got him, and Ku host/manager Nieko, to tell us more!
Hey guys! So why is partying at Pride so important?
Nieko: Ever since I started working as a part of the gay community, I’ve always felt liberated and free to be exactly who I am. Before that, growing up, I felt out of place, alone, confused. I didn’t know who I was, or who I was ALLOWED to be. The first moment I stepped into a gay venue, I knew working as a part of this wonderful scene was what I was supposed to do; I’ve made it my life goal to make sure ANYONE that steps into our venues feels like I did that first moment; a sense of freedom, empowerment, liberation and pure acceptance. That’s why Pride is so important; it’s a testament to all the battles we’ve faced in the past, but it’s also a testament to the wonderful community we’re a part of.
Andrew: Celebrating Pride is important 
because it’s the one day of the year we can celebrate the legislative gains our community has made, and pay tribute to the trailblazers who fought for the equality we enjoy today. It’s also a time to remember the struggles of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters, who live in parts of the world like Chechnya, where members of the LGBT community are being killed and tortured; Indonesia, where the LGBTQ community has recently become under threat; and Istanbul, where the government has cancelled the last 3 pride parades that have been scheduled and used water cannons and rubber bullets on the activists who tried to march in defiance of the ban by authorities. When you live in free and open societies like the UK or USA, it’s easy to forget that the struggle for LGBTQ rights and equality that most of the world is still risking their lives to achieve.
So what can we expect from The Light Lounge Party?
Nieko: We’re taking it UP a notch this year at Light Lounge. Think of it as the VIP area at Palm Springs’ White Party, but, where EVERYONE is a VIP. It’s a hidden gem above Ku Leicester Square, that will provide a gorgeous get-away feel from the madness of the Pride celebrations. Cocktails or bubbly? You choose – and enjoy the TWO DJ duos we have; the ever delicious SEXSHOOTERS from London, and THE G-TEAM from Amsterdam! Think Miami, think VIP, think cocktails, and sexy deep house music… welcome to Light Lounge Pride!
Andrew: You can expect a chic Hollywood vibe where with fun, flirtatious models dressed up in Andrew Christian underwear and free Andrew Christian giveaways for people attending!
The Light Lounge Cocktail Soiree is on Saturday 8th July. 5pm – 3am. 1 Newport Place, WC2H 7JR.
