Rare Collectibles with Common Interest
Original memorabilia & collectables from the 1960’s to the 2000’s
Image Courtesy of Founder Chris Lam at Common Interest
Whether it’s the thrill of the hunt, the exclusivity factor, its intricate age-old craftsmanship, or its overreacting statement against modern consumerism, vintage style sits atop its own peak of popularity with increasing and more succumbing to its influence.
In collaboratiostyle="font-size: 18px;"n with Common Interest, this season we’ve curated rare, truly one-of-a-kind items from around the world to bring cross-generational and cross-genre pop culture enthusiasts together.
Along with providing authentication services for vintage cultural items, Common Interest’s collection of rare apparel, records, toys and other collectibles spans five decades of pop culture from the 60s to the 2010s.
This time around, we caught up with Chris Lam, founder of Common Interest, as he dives into tips on identifying authentic pieces and opens up on the passion that drives his journey forward.
Read on for the full interview with Chris Lam, Founder of Common Interest
What got you into archival collectibles, and what keeps you interested?
It really depends on when the question is being asked. As a kid, I started collecting Toy Story toys when the first movie came out, and not opening any of the toys is what led me to collecting.
“I’ve always been a music nerd, spending countless hours in record stores and investing every penny in CDs, and vinyl records, etc. Another favourite pastime of mine was digging out vintage band tees from musicians that I loved.” I guess this thirst for exploring music culture, and uncovering history artifacts has been my driving force. Vintage collecting is an endless journey of excitement no matter your interests.
MARILYN MINTER X SUPREME SKATEBOARDS
SET OF 3 SKATEBOARDS, 2008
HK$100,000
Set of 3 authentic skateboards featuring Marilyn Minter’s April 2008 collaboration with Supreme, showcasing her distinctive style of glossy, and often taboo imagery related to beauty and the female body.
GORILLAZ AUTOGRAPHED DEMON DAYS CD
GORILLAZ CD, 2005
HK$18,000
Original CD of the second studio album by the British virtual band Gorillaz. Featuring autographs by members Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett.
NUMBER(N)INE THE BEATLES HANDMADE DOLLS
SET OF 4 HANDMADE DOLLS, 2000s
HK$80,000
Handmade dolls crafted by Romp Communicate Design from Japan, portraying the Beatles in their iconic colourful military uniforms from the legendary Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band era.
ANNE-VALÉRIE DUPOND HAMBURGER
HANDMADE ART PIECE, 2006
HK$65,000
French artist Anne-Valérie Dupond created this custom art piece in collaboration with a Japanese brand. Normally known for her animal designs, she incorporated her signature humorous style with her unique textile blending and fabric manipulation techniques into a hamburger art piece.
D7 THE BEATLES A HARD DAY’S NIGHT T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1980s
HK$26,000
An 80’s vintage Beatles t-shirt featuring iconic stills from Richard Lester’s 1964 comedy film, A Hard Day’s Night, starring the Fab Four at the peak of Beatlemania. The pop-art design captures the band’s electrifying energy from their legendary performances.
THE BEATLES A HARD DAY’S NIGHT T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1980s
HK$26,000
An 80’s vintage Beatles t-shirt featuring iconic stills from Richard Lester’s 1964 comedy film, A Hard Day’s Night, starring the Fab Four at the peak of Beatlemania. The pop-art design captures the band’s electrifying energy from their legendary performances.
BRUCE WEBER BROKEN NOSES T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1980s
HK$50,000
A t-shirt produced for the release of Broken Noses (1987), a documentary created by renowned photographer Bruce Weber. Previously featured in Nigo's curated vintage collection, this t-shirt is a one-of-a-kind collector's prize.
KRAFTWERK AUTOGRAPHED 3-D THE CATALOGUE VINYL & POSTER SET
3 VINYL RECORD BOXSETS AND 1 FRAMED POSTERS, 2017
HK$36,000
A two-box set of German electronic band Kraftwerk's second official live 3-D The Catalogue in vinyl (a bilingual version in English and German), with a framed original promotional poster (4Blu-Ray 5.1/Hardcover Book Box Set) with autographs from all band members during this period.
UNDERCOVER SS16 EVIL CLOWN CASTLE BACKPACK
BACKPACK, 2016
HK$180,000
This castle-shaped backpack from Japanese label Undercover's SS16 collection is a hot item amongst the fashion crowd, much sought after due to its sheer rarity and avantgarde design details.
PRIMAL SCREAM SCREAMADELICA VINYL ALBUM
VINYL, 2011
HK$28,000
A limited-edition release of Scottish band Primal Scream’s Screamadelica album in a round red box. The set includes the album on vinyl, four CDs, a DVD, a booklet, four art cards, a slipmat, and a t-shirt. Features a rare autograph from frontman Bobby Gillespie.
ZAITOSHI MOVIE BOOKLET
MOVIE BOOKLET, 2003
HK$26,000
A booklet of the 2003 Japanese jidaigeki action film Zatoishi with the iconic movie poster as the front cover. Features lead actor Takeshi Kitano's autograph.
LIFE-SIZED 90S TOY STORY WOODY DOLL
DOLL, 1990s
HK$22,000
A rare '90s edition life-sized doll of Woody from Disney's Toy Story, dressed in his classic sheriff outfit as seen in the movie.
MEGADETH COUNTDOWN BY EXTINCTION AOP T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1990s
HK$12,000
An all-over-print t-shirt commemorating rock band Megadeth's Countdown to Extinction tour, with a custom design by Hugh Syme embodying vintage '90s metal aesthetics.
ARCHAIC SMILE BOSCH T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1990s
HK$22,000
A vintage shirt from Archaic Smile, a clothing company from the 1990s. This rare t-shirt prominently features Bosch's The Garden of Earthly Delights (1490-1510), adding a surrealist touch on underground style and music scenes.
AKIRA MITSURU KUWATA T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1980s
HK$22,000
Highly sought after by collectors around the world, this Akira 'Mitsuru Kuwata' anime tee celebrates Katsuhiro Otomo's cyberpunk masterpiece, merging cult manga artistry with fashion.
KISS DYNASTY SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1970s
HK$7,000
A rare vintage band tee celebrating KISS’s 1979 Dynasty album, featuring bold graphics and iconic imagery from the era that marked the band's glam-infused evolution.
SPIDER-MAN VS VENOM T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1990s
HK$16,000
A vintage tee featuring the iconic scene from the original Spider-Man Adventures comic series #10, capturing the showdown between Spider-Man and Venom.
THE SMITHS' THE QUEEN IS DEAD VINYL ALBUM
VINYL, 1986
HK$6,200
A rare first pressing Japanese edition of The Smiths' critically acclaimed The Queen Is Dead album, which has been praised as one of the greatest albums of all time by music critics.
SONIC YOUTH JANE BIRKIN SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1990s
HK$6,000
A mid-90s vintage shirt from Sonic Youth's Jet Set era, print designed by Tannis Root for the legendary US rock band, featuring an image of iconic '60s French actress, Jane Birkin.
WHITNEY HOUSTON WAITING TO EXHALE SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1990s
HK$9,600
A vintage rap-tee from Whitney Houston's 1995 romantic-comedy, Waiting To Exhale, with an artwork that is a colourful rendition of the original movie poster.
SEX PISTOLS NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1970s
HK$22,000
This vintage t-shirt, hand-printed and designed by the legendary Vivienne Westwood, features Jamie Reid's anarchic typography, embodying the punk spirit of the Sex Pistols.
NIRVANA EUROPEAN KURT COBAIN T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1990s
HK$16,000
A rare 1990s memorial tee honouring Kurt Cobain's legacy, with an intimate artwork of him holding his daughter, Frances, based on a photo captured by the award-winning husband and wife duo, Guzman.
GRATEFUL DEAD EUROPEAN TOUR SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1981
HK$7,000
A vintage shirt from the Grateful Dead's 1981 European Tour, featuring the band's iconic skull imagery in the centre with artwork by Stanley Mouse.
MULAN MOVIE PROMOTION SCROLL
SCROLL, 1998
HK$22,000
A promotional scroll from the original release of Disney's 1998 Mulan film, autographed by producer Pam Coats, and Directors Barry Cook & Tony Bancroft.
GRATEFUL DEAD ON THE ROAD AGAIN T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1980s
HK$8,600
A rare find that celebrates the release of Grateful Dead's On The Road Again, featuring the classic skull artwork created by Stanley Mouse.
GRATEFUL DEAD ON THE ROAD AGAIN T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1980s
HK$12,000
A pop-art style vintage t-shirt from the collective Mosquitohead, with the vibrant imagery of the 1969 American road drama film, Easy Rider, written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern.
BATMAN FOREVER MOVIE PROMO T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1995
HK$8,000
A promotional shirt for the 1995 Batman Forever movie starring Van Kilmer and Jim Carrey in the lead roles. One of the rarest prints amongst tees from the live-action Batman movie series.
BLESS N°34 EPRFECT VERYTHING CARPET SWEATER
SWEATER, 2000s
HK$26,000
A vintage knit sweater from Bless, featuring red, blue, and white stripes that evoke a chic, wintry aesthetic.
MOSQUITOHEAD PORTRAIT OF ELVIS PRESLEY T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT, 1980s
HK$10,000
An Elvis Presley t-shirt by Mosquitohead, rendered in bold pop art style and saturated with hues of red, blue, and white as a tribute to the iconic pop star.
GRATEFUL DEAD BEAN BAG BEARS
BEAN BAG BEARS, 1990s-2000s
HK$480 each
Vintage collectible Grateful Dead bean bag bears, originally produced by Liquid Blue in the early 1990s and 2000s. Each bear is uniquely named, often after iconic songs or legendary tours, coming with an attached tag of its designated birthday.
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When or what makes a vintage piece speak to you?
Finding or touching pieces I’ve never encountered before, especially when they come with a hidden story.
Can you walk us through how you founded Common Interest and how it came to life?
For over 20 years, we’ve operated privately, primarily focusing on Japan and the USA, serving private clients, online shoppers, and wholesale partners. Common Interest began as a project to connect with customers across various sectors of the Hong Kong market - vintage apparel, toys, collector cards, and vinyl records, etc. It has since evolved into a physical retail storefront where we offer authentication services to the public.
How can people ascertain the quality of vintage goods when shopping online? Are there any ways to tell if something is overpriced?
When shopping online, you really have to trust the vendor. Photos can be edited, and descriptions are subjective. which means there’s a 50% chance an item could be counterfeit or fake.
It’s difficult to label any vintage item as “overpriced” without considering factors like rarity and condition, such as fading, print quality, and many others. Even the smallest detail can create a significant value gap between two similar t-shirts – sometimes up to ten times the price! Given the numerous factors that influence a piece’s future value, it wouldn’t be fair to deem something overpriced.
How does Common Interest define vintage clothing, and what makes it culturally significant in today’s market?
Vintage clothing typically refers to items that are 20 years or older and serve as wearable artifacts with historical significance to various cultures. It’s akin to purchasing old paintings, knowing they were once owned by someone else. Jade jewellery is another great example of wearing something with a rich history.
Throughout the year, we try our best to source and provide the highest quality items. We’re also known for having pieces in excellent condition, alongside a selection of old new stock from decades past.
A vast majority of your t-shirts holds a close affiliation with music (band tees featuring The Beatles, Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones, Nirvana, ACDC). What influences you the most?
The early 60s to 70s hippie culture, as well as the extreme genres from the 80s to 90s, like Hardcore Punk, Grindcore, Death Metal, Black Metal. If I had to choose a band for this pop-up, it would be the Grateful Dead, mostly because of their influence on various cultures.
Why should shoppers consider purchasing archival clothing instead of fast fashion?
They shouldn’t. People should have the freedom to purchase whatever inspires them. What’s considered new today could become influential tomorrow, at least that’s how I would define ‘archival’. Owning an archival piece allows you to gain first-hand experience and connect with a part of history.
What can Lane Crawford customers look forward to in your curated collection?
A creation of our very own timeline of music history, spanning from the 60s to the 00s, along with artistic creations that have a direct relevance to music.
What inspired your selection of these top 10 picks? Can you conclude the reasoning for your picks in one sentence?
They are mostly rare and interesting pieces we’ve discovered over the years, defined not just by their value, but also by the stories that accompany them.
Travel back to the future with Common Interest, available now at Lane Crawford