The Art of Concert Couture: Jan Lamb’s Costume Designer Shares Insights on the Uncle Auntie Farewell Party Concert 2024
The singer and DJ Jan Lamb, who held a string of three highly successful concerts in Hong Kong last year, recently took his show to Macao. During the concert, Lamb not only performed a mix of hits and new songs but also invited Eric Kot as the special guest, building anticipation for the upcoming Softhard Concert, the rap duo comprising Lamb and Kot, scheduled for this year. In addition to some spectacular performances, the stage costumes grabbed people’s attention. FASHIONALLY got the inside scoop from one of the stage costume designers, Sonic Lam, who reveal show he created dazzling costumes for the stage.
Q : How did this collaboration come about?
Sonic : To be honest, I’m not quite sure. It might have been through social media or some referral. One day, Jan followed me on Instagram, then two days later, his concert manager contacted me. Shortly after, Jan visited my studio, and we started discussing the collaboration.
Q : How did you align your designs with the theme of “Uncle Auntie Farewell Party”?
Sonic : Mainly, I created designs based on Jan’s personal style. Perhaps one of the reasons he chose to collaborate with me is that he appreciates my creations, so, I also used that as a foundation for the design. I created a traditional blazer for him that incorporated elements from his concert.
Q : Lamb is also an artist and incorporates Millie, his labradoodle, into his work. works. How did you work with Mille?
Sonic : I suggested incorporating Millie into the design, as it’s iconic and represents Jan’s image. Using the Patchwork technique, I repeated the Millie pattern on the blazer.
Q : hat qualifications are required to become a stage costume designer?
Sonic : I don’t consider myself a qualified stage costume designer, but I’d say a true stage costume designer needs a rich imagination and must consider how to present costumes to the audience in large venues. While I love fashion, I lack experience in stage costumes. I believe it’s more important to cater to the performer’s style and highlight their image.
Q : What are your thoughts when you see your creations on stage?
Sonic : Being able to present this iconic image again through my design approach makes me feel especially proud. At first, I designed costumes for Jan and six dancers, and later had the opportunity to create costumes for Eric Kot. The main colour tones of these blazers were red and yellow, which reminded me of seeing a Softhard Concert during my youth. Being part of Softhard’s history is a truly magical experience for me because they are also extremely important representatives of Hong Kong’s street culture.
Q : How would you describe your collaboration with Jan?
Sonic : Jan is a very efficient person. He gave me great trust and freedom –it felt like a senior giving a junior an opportunity to showcase their abilities. After he made some basic requests, Jan completely trusted me to create the costumes.
