The 5 creatives behind Leslie Cheung, Hong Kong legend: fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, Wing Shya, photographer to Wong Kar-wai, and more artists gave the Cantopop icon his unforgettable style

Apr 1 , 2023

Hong Kong superstar Leslie Cheung’s unique image was the work of a creative team. Photo: Wing Shya

On his 20th death anniversary, we take a look at Leslie Cheung’s creative team behind the scenes – including sought-after fashion designers Eddie Lau, William Chang and Jean Paul Gaultier

Graphic designer Alan Chan lent Cheung his clothes for the photo shoot for his album Craziness while long-time photographer of Wong Kar-wai, Wing Shya, got to know him during Happy Together

It has been two decades since the Cantopop legend Leslie Cheung left us on April 1, 2003. An array of commemorative activities took place in Hong Kong recently, such as the release of the Remembrance Leslie album, a concert and exhibitions, showing the city’s nostalgia for the beloved star.

Here we take a walk down memory lane, not just remembering an all-time superstar, but also paying homage to his creative team behind the scenes over the years. They include fashion designers Eddie Lau and Jean Paul Gaultier, graphic designer Alan Chan, costume designer William Chang and photographer Wing Shya.

These 5 creatives helped create a unique Leslie Cheung who was in a class of his own, and who will live in our hearts forever.

1. Eddie Lau – fashion designer

Leslie Cheung and Eddie Lau (right) collaborated since the early 1980s. Photo: @eddielau223/Instagram

As a graduate of the renowned fashion design institute Central Saint Martins in London and the first ever Hong Kong designer to take part in London Fashion Week in 1978, Lau became a stage costume designer and stylist for various pop stars in the 1980s.

Lau and Cheung collaborated on various concert and album costumes during Cheung’s career under the label Capital Artists from 1982 to 1987.

It was a breakthrough year for Cheung in 1985 – he garnered his first ever “10 Most Popular Songs Award” presented by Television Broadcasts Limited for the song “Monica”; released his first great hits album Fortunate to Have You; and held his debut solo concert in the Hong Kong Coliseum.

Leslie Cheung in a fedora-hat look with a Kenzo suit and red pocket square for the album Fortunate to Have You (left) and an avant-garde jumper with alloy armour on the shoulders during the award presentation ceremony in 1985. Photo: Handout

Whether it was the avant-garde jumpers with alloy armour on the shoulders that he wore during the award presentation ceremony, the fedora-hat look with Kenzo suit and red pocket square for his album visuals, or his upbeat and positive image in his debut concert, they were all meticulously selected and designed by Lau.

After that, the duo further collaborated in 1986 for the album Who Feels The Same. Lau boldly chose red as the dominant colour to accentuate Cheung’s unique personal charm, while for his concert in the same year, Lau designed a military jacket and suit to create a more mature, self-assured and commanding look that was far different from the unrestrained and frivolous impression that Cheung had projected in the past.