On 26 September, we headed down to Chelmsford City Racecourse for the very first Lab Studios Convention. Partnered with LabCon, an already established event, LabStudios brought tattooing to card collectors which is a recipe for colourful and graphic body art as well as shared interests in anime, pop culture and of course, trading cards.
The atmosphere was positive and full of creativity involving incredible tattoo artists, seriously impressive artwork, Pokémon pack rips, tattoo awards,a magician and plenty of fun faces and eccentric characters.
For us at Starr, being involved in the first Lab Studios was a brilliant opportunity. We had the chance to catch up with old friends, meet new faces, talk all things tattooing and, of course, show off some of the products and brands we work with every day. The Ghost furniture range including Demon Trays and Armrests were on show for demonstrations, and of course plenty of new free stickers (which didn’t last long on the booth).
Alongside Lab Studios, LabCon brought a whole different crowd to the venue, with a full-on Pokémon and trading card convention running alongside the tattoo event. From Pokémon and collectibles to trading, games and plenty of nostalgic favourites, it made for a unique mix of worlds under one roof.
Then there was the tattoo battle between JP Tattoo and Kodie Smith; a moment that had everyone stopping to see what was happening. Watching two artists go head-to-head and put their skills on display added another layer of excitement to an already busy day. The verdict of the battle was voted by the audience of the show via QR Code. Many votes went either way, however JP took the crown! Both artists did an incredible colourful Pokemon themed tattoo and both clients walked away thrilled with their new artwork!
It was also great to see Bikers Against Child Abuse International at the event, raising awareness of the important work they do to help children feel safe, supported and empowered.
Most importantly, a huge thank you to everyone who came through the doors. Artists, traders, organisers, teams, friends and everyone who stopped by the Starr stand for a chat. You all helped make the first Lab Studios feel genuinely special and gave us a great experience.
We had a brilliant time being part of it, and we can’t wait to see what LabCon and LabStudios does next year!
