Tattoo artist Ami James brings an edge to LAB Concept launch

Reality show NY Ink's tattoo maestro Ami James was the headline guest for LAB Concept's grand opening party last Thursday.

For the launch of the store in Queensway Plaza in Admiralty, James designed a skull logo that was printed on tote bags for guests at the event and which could be claimed by shoppers by the end of the month.

"I was fortunate to get invited on [board] the project and have been working on it for the past few months," said James, who flew in from New York earlier last week.

"It seems in Hong Kong things tend to be more mainstream, and somebody has to be here to push the envelope a bit. So it's a perfect marriage between tattoo and LAB Concept."

Explaining his design, James said: "I've drawn skulls my whole life. I was obsessed with drawing skulls when I was 11, 12 years old. The hat and glasses sort of put the fashion back to the skull. It's something that just makes sense and is cool."

Canto-pop star Kary Ng Yu-fei even got a temporary tattoo painted on her back by James.