FASHION | My First Cover with Cantopop singer Eman Lam

On Eman: Jacket from Ellery | Leather top from D.Effect | White translucent shirt from Nanushka (Courtesy of electricsekki)

 Eman Lam was a name that I hadn't heard of before and never in my mind would I have expected to meet a Cantopop singer in person. With my current internship at Timeout Hong Kong, I've been given countless opportunities to try new things thanks to style editor Arthur Tam. For Issue 161, we featured local pop star Eman Lam who had previously sung together with singer Ellen Loo in a Cantopop duo called at17. Now with the launch of her second solo album On the Go, Lam sets out to experiment with her sound and push for a wider appeal.

Click below to read my experience and thoughts about styling my first magazine cover!

Transcribing the interview was an incredibly arduous process. The Cantonese dialogue between Arthur and Eman made it no less easier with my nonexistent translation skills. Having said that, it was particularly rewarding to hear such a strong and passionate woman speak about her 12-year experience in the entertainment industry. Undoubtedly, the 31-year old knew her fair share of controversy surrounding her weight and image. After 8000 words and nine pages of transcript, Lam's fun and unabashed attitude brightened my day. I instantly became a fan of her character and I realised what an honour it had been to style her for the cover.

While I've never seriously talked to a stylist about their line of work, it struck me how exciting the whole experience was. Besides the glitz and glamour of fashion, what I got was more than just a cover for my portfolio - it was the rare opportunity to meet people who could inspire or remind me of important lessons from their experiences. At 20-years old, I am humbled by the amount of effort that these people have put into their careers. So what did I get out of Eman? "If you can’t accept the way I look, deal with it because there are people who do." she says. "How I look will not affect the way I sound.”

For now, this cover hangs proudly in my mind as a reminder to be myself (as cliché as it sounds) and not be put down by anyone who doesn't believe in your dreams. I can only hope to improve my skills as an aspiring stylist with more covers to work on in the future (Spoiler: stay tuned for the style issue coming out this September!) Read the full interview with Eman Lam by Arthur Tam here!