Lam Ieong Kun, an active and renowned designer from Macao on the international stage, has won numerous awards in many world-class competitions. Last year, he triumphantly won the Gold and Bronze prizes at the American ADC Annual Design Awards, the “Yellow Pencil” at the UK’s Design and Art Direction (D&AD) Awards, and the Gold prize at the Pentawards Global Packaging Design Awards. These remarkable achievements underscore his dedication and talent. This dynamic, ambitious young designer expressed that his active participation in these competitions serves a dual purpose: to elevate the recognition of Macao’s design scene and to showcase the immense untapped potential of design in Macao.
ASPIRING TO TRANSFORM THE DESIGN MARKET ECOSYSTEM IN MACAO
Upon graduating from the bachelor’s programme in design at MPU, Lam embarked on his journey in the design industry. His career path led him to positions in Hangzhou and Japan. After returning to Macao, he founded his own design company, Indego Design, where he realised his philosophy by specialising in brand, packaging, and product design for commercial clients. Lam’s passion for design is palpable. Lam harbours a profound passion for design. Throughout our conversation, he reiterated how “design is fun and interesting” more than ten times. Despite a decade-long journey in this field, his enthusiasm remains unscathed; he still maintains his daily ritual of immersing himself in design news every morning.
Lam observes that Macao doesn’t place the same emphasis on branding and packaging as other regions. Moreover, many perceive design as a luxury. Given this market environment, he adheres to his initial design principles and subtly shifts the market’s entrenched perceptions. “It’s precisely because of this situation that our intervention becomes interesting. We hope that our work can encourage people to see the necessity of design.” He has successfully revamped the branding and packaging for traditional food shops, thereby attracting student customers and addressing the issue of an ageing clientele. “Design is intended to solve problems and enhance our lives. We all desire to improve the things around us, regardless of whether they are historically long-standing shops looking to modernize. We can facilitate change from the ground up. As more and more people in society start valuing quality, I believe the market environment will alter,” he asserts.
Lam’s audacious and vibrant design style has caught the attention of some sizable companies in Macao and internationally, leading them to reach out to him. These include esteemed organisations like the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Nike, Switch, ShakeShack, and more. Such opportunities have brought him both surprise and joy. He fondly recalled being approached by Nike China two years ago, inviting his team to design a rabbit-year pattern for the brand’s shoes and sportswear. Initially, he suspected it might be a scam, until he met the representatives in person and confirmed the authenticity of the offer. The experience was surreal for him, “Macao-based companies are competitive enough to attract collaboration opportunities with major brands, and people across China are purchasing products we designed. These are all thrilling experiences, solid proof that Macao’s design is truly commendable.”
Lam Ieong Kun was invited by NIKE China to design the Year of Rabbit pattern for brand clothing
ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN COMPETITIONS: DEMONSTRATING MACAO DESIGN'S CAPABILITY ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE
With a substantial record of accolades, Lam’s work has graced many international competitions, from Macao to the United Kingdom and the United States. What drives his active participation in these competitions? For Lam, these awards serve as his annual report card. Driven to showcase his work on various platforms to capture global attention, Lam aims to invigorate Macao’s design scene. He believes that recognition through awards draws in fresh talent, enhancing Macao's design ecosystem. “Usually, people take notice only when awards are won, which in turn attracts new blood to the industry, infusing Macao’s design ecology with energy,” he asserts.
Reflecting on his most memorable experience, Lam recalls the invitation he received in 2021 to redesign the mooncake box packaging for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Macao. At that time, the hotel’s new CEO thought the brand was too high-end and lacked youthful vitality. To infuse the brand with a fresh appeal, the CEO sought Lam’s expertise through social media. Lam audaciously proposed a significant change. He used a lot of vibrant illustrations to repackage the mooncake box, a departure that contrasted starkly with the hotel’s established image. “During the development of this project, I questioned whether it could successfully make it to the market. The client has placed an enormous amount of trust in us, and following the product launch, the market response was tremendously positive.” Lam perceives the willingness of these luxury hotels to experiment with new concepts as a source of inspiration for the Macao market, helping to shift some prevailing perceptions.
Lam Ieong Kun designs brand new mooncake box packaging for Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Macao
This mooncake box design project has won multiple international competition awards, all esteemed within the design industry. Competing against multinational giants like Apple, this recognition has been a significant morale booster for Lam. “When we showcase our creativity on a world-class platform, we are not regarded as inferior. Our creativity, execution, and ideas can stand toe-to-toe with theirs.” Among the many accolades, the D&AD Pencil Award in the UK holds special significance for Lam. “This competition tallies awards by region, just like the Olympics. You can visit the website to see how many Pencil Awards each region has won. In the past, Macao was never offered as a regional option, but after we won the award, Macao was finally included as an option. It’s genuinely rewarding and reaffirms that as long as you devote your creativity, thought, and time, your efforts will invariably be recognised.”
In the array of accolades, the British D&AD Pencil Award
holds a significant place for Lam Ieong Kun
Lam Ieong Kun and his team
UNIVERSITY MENTORS AND PEERS: CATALYSTS FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Lam candidly acknowledges that pursuing a design career in Macao presents challenges, with income instability being a notable concern. Without sufficient dedication, such instability can easily undermine one’s resolve. Transforming his passion into a career, he finds fulfilment in his professional success while continually fostering connections and dialogues with his university mentors and peers. His co-founders, in fact, were his classmates; together, they have bolstered each other’s efforts to forge a promising future. He has a deep sense of connection to MPU and believes that his education there has significantly influenced his career. “Fortunately, many of our classmates are engaged in design industry, and there is still close communication among us. It’s their influence that has enabled me to persist in design. I’m grateful to have encountered such a supportive group of classmates and partners at the university.”
Beyond forging cherished connections with teachers and classmates, the hands-on instruction at MPU carved a path for his future growth. “Transitioning into the workforce post-graduation was seamless, largely due to the pragmatic curriculum. The robust hardware and software resources on campus enabled us to put theory into practice and stay aligned with market trends. Moreover, the internships offered invaluable networking opportunities within our industry, all contributing significantly to our development as students.”
Lam harbours a vision for a burgeoning design industry and offers words of encouragement to budding designers. He advises, “If design stirs your passion, never let it go. Design can unlock myriad opportunities, and the spark of inspiration can lead to infinite possibilities.” Along with his palpable enthusiasm, he imparts practical guidance, urging everyone to leverage online platforms for self-promotion. He adds, “In the digital era, talent doesn’t go unnoticed. High-quality work, when shared online, commands attention. Even if your exceptional work goes unnoticed today, persist a hundredfold, and eventually, it will capture someone’s attention.”
As the saying goes, “Good wine needs no bush”, and Lam is a prime example of this. His work, shared online, has caught the eye of numerous international companies that have subsequently reached out to him. The most crucial thing is that he knows how to seize every opportunity and put effort into every project, regardless of its scale. This approach has been instrumental to his success.
Design for ShakeShack's Outlet in Macao
Pictures provided by interviewee
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