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David was completely immersed in sewing a mini pouch when Chloe and I arrived at his studio for our visit. The pouches are free gifts that come with every purchase of the t-shirts that he designs. Each pouch is made with materials from those iconic “red, white, blue” striped nylon bags seen everywhere in Hong Kong. From the cleaning of the old nylon bags to the hammering of metal buttons into the trendy pouches that they become, David manages every step in the making of these creative items all by himself.
David Yeung, 30, is a long-standing friend of mine. We met in London eight years ago, when he’s studying graphic design and I was doing urban planning. I’m always impressed by his bubbly character, creativity, dedication and perseverance even in the smallest things. Take the shirt tags in his designer tees, they double up as a business card for his label. What’s more, separating the tag in the middle makes two bookmarks. Everyone in my office is amazed by the quality of the pouches, thinking that they must be from G.O.D. or some other trendy local boutique. The excitement for the accessories is perhaps the best endorsement of the huge amount of effort that David has invested into his business.
He started his fashion label Lambmark more than a year ago. The label reflects his Christian values and is also a play on his surname ‘Yeung’, which has the same pronunciation as lamb in Cantonese. Upon graduation, he joined a garment company back in Hong Kong to design t-shirt graphics, cloth tags, packaging and back pockets of jeans. This experience would put him in good stead when it’s time for him to build a start-up and run his own garment business.
“I’ve been professionally trained as a designer since I was 17. Every designer dreams about having his own gallery so they can express what they think. What I’m now pursing is no different – by starting my own business and selling products that I design myself, I’m able to express myself to the audience,” said David. “I’m a Hong Kong born-and-bred. I love Hong Kong and know this city well. If I could, I wish to serve the people in Hong Kong first as I’m proud of my homeland. Also, this city gives me the freedom of creation and opens my eyes to markets around the world. There are many opportunities available to passionate designers.”
Launching a start-up in Hong Kong is no easy task. It took David 21 months to set up the Lambmark studio in Fo Tan. Every stage of the production process takes place in this 1,500 sq. feet space. David’s workshop is neither a grim, messy factory-like unit, nor a studio with fancy decor and stylish fittings; it is a rather modest, neat and tidy studio cum workspace. Every part in this studio is specially designed for a different production process; they’re interlinked yet separated spatially. From design and production, to sewing, printing and marketing photo shoots, the studio is a one-stop shop for clothing design and production. With his pink bike parked at the studio entrance and a big pool table taking centre stage inside, having fun in the workplace is always David’s motto.
But as I was listening to his Hong Kong start-up story, it feels as if starting a new business in this city is doomed to be a lost cause. The biggest issues facing a small enterprise include high rents, difficult suppliers and limited sales channels. "Sometimes when I try to place orders for plain garments, I get turned away because the quantity that I want is too small. Other suppliers would just generally treat small companies without much respect. Sales channels are also a problem as street level shops in Hong Kong are so expensive that small independent businesses simply cannot afford the rents. High land prices mean it’s harder for artists to show their work to the general public, so their interactions within the society and community are limited. All you can rely on for now is your company's online shop as the main sales channel," said David.
He also spoke about the difficulties in setting up a business in the art and design industry. “Why can’t Hong Kong brands develop on the international stage, while brands from other countries can? Perhaps we need to cultivate the ability of Hong Kong people to appreciate good art and design, so that they’ll increase their appreciation of local Hong Kong designers instead of just chasing after global luxury brands.”
Despite all these difficulties, David is determined to succeed. Apart from having a business of his own, he also wants to establish a brand with positive and encouraging values. Currently, Lambmark has a range of clothing products which include t-shirts, hoodies and other accessories. Many of the design concepts behind his products originate from his Christian beliefs and also from his focus on people and human well-being. He explained: “Every designer wants to express themselves in their own artwork. As you grow up, you’ll realize there are so many messages out there in this world, so I chose the one which I’ve adopted and express it in my work.”
“I’ve also spent a huge amount of time researching the latest trends in graphic design, printing and fashion so I can make my brand both fashionable and fun. I want others to look at my products, and to reflect on what I’ve expressed through them, particularly what I want to say about life.”
He continued: “This is also a big reason why I started this brand and developed my career in the manufacturing and design industry. People can’t be happy simply by looking at numbers and figures in the stock market. Why can’t they be happy from looking at artworks and nice designs? If small creative enterprises can flourish in other countries, why can’t the same happen in Hong Kong? ”
His love of the city also explains why he set up his business in Hong Kong. “Although the competition is fierce, I want my brand to possess the best qualities of Hong Kong: it will never yield to challenges, failures or difficulties. I love Hong Kong because my family is here, and the people that I care and want to interact with are here. Life is short and there is no time for regretting," said David.
As I went through his t-shirt designs, I saw the words "Handle with Care" in one of them. David explained that he got the design inspiration from the box that his t-shirt graphics printing machine was delivered in. "I saw the sign when I was unpacking the machine, then I realised actually, humans need to be handled with care too as we are all human beings with different needs. We all need to be handled with care and be nice to each other, especially in a stressful place like Hong Kong."
Will this city give David and Lambmark a chance to do something different for the people, despite all the obstacles facing small and medium enterprises in Hong Kong?
Before we left David’s studio, we saw a guitar next to his desk. He then strummed us a few tunes that he’s written over the years. One of them is a song about office life. “It is a song I wrote when I was daydreaming in my former office, reflecting on typical Hong Kong office routines and stress." The song truly reflects David’s personality: he’s always thinking and dreaming about something funny when he’s doing something seemingly routine and 'normal'. Perhaps this is exactly what Lambmark is all about: trying to have some fun and make a little difference to the humdrum of everyday life. Perhaps all David needs is a chance to bring his dreams to Hong Kong, to inject some positivity to this place. At the very least, he’s giving us a bit of breathing space in this often maddening city.
Q: What do you like the most about Hong Kong?
A: I like the people in Hong Kong. My family is in Hong Kong and the people that I would like to interact with are in Hong Kong. This is the place where I grew up and I would like to be involved with this city.
Q: What do you dislike the most about Hong Kong?
A: The policies of the government. I think they can do better in terms of tackling social issues like the biggest problem of the day which is housing. A newly-wed couple needs to spend at least half of their total family income on housing. What about the next generation? Where are they going to live? If the society is more harmonious, people will be happier and we’ll see more smiles on their faces. I wouldn’t say Hong Kong is in a critically bad condition right now, but the society is full of anger, grievances and bitterness. The society has been repressed for too long because of injustice and inequalities. That is why sometimes when there are conflicts in the society, I try to be more understanding and acknowledge that in fact, many people are under huge pressure just to make ends meet.
Q: What does Hong Kong need to do for it to be sustainable?
A: A sustainable city cannot solely rely on the property market and the financial sector as the foundation of its economy. People in the city cannot be happy simply by looking at the trends in the financial market or at property prices. People need to exercise, express their feelings and thoughts, and they need arts and cultural activities to nurture their soul. There are other things that they want to do in order to be happy. The atmosphere in Hong Kong is all about money-making, as the financial and property sectors trump everything else. When we talk about sustainable development of Hong Kong, we are talking about the sustainable development of the people: if the development of the people is sustainable, the city will then be sustainable. You cannot develop the people and society simply by developing the financial and property sectors only.
