Qipao, black self-patterned rayon, Hong Kong, 1940-1950

Woman's dress (known as a cheongsam in Cantonese or a qipao in Mandarin) made from a medium-weight silk with an all-over pattern of differently-sized circles. The ground has a black and white swirling pattern and the circles are in red, blue, green, yellow and white. It closes to the side and has a small stand-up collar with a square edge. It is sleeveless.
The neck fastens at the front with a decorative knot and loop button and a similar button closes the dress at collarbone level. A loop and button in a spiral shape closes the dress under the arm and the remainder of the fastenings are press-studs.
The dress is edged with a double binding of yellow and red bias-cut satin which also forms the closures. There is a triple row of edging at the base of the neck - one yellow and two red rows. The configuration of the edgings and closures is the same on FE.42-1995.

Right side fastening with three loop and knot buttons in spiral shape at neck, collarbone level and under the right arm. The remainder of the fastenings are press-studs. Small stand-up collar. Sleeveless. Slit at sides. Knee-length. No lining. Black medium-weight silk plain weave ground with self patterned multi-coloured roundels. Black bounding weft and warp. Grey supplementary weft and blue, yellow, brown, green and red supplementary warp.. The ground has a black and grey swirling pattern and the circles are in red, blue, green, yellow and white.The dress is edged with a double binding of yellow and red bias-cut satin which also forms the closures. There is a triple row of edging at the base of the neck - one yellow and two red rows.

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The cheongsam came into Valery Garrett's collection as a donation by Mr Fung Yau San.

The qipao was traditionally the costume of the Manchu people, and the style was adopted by Chinese women from the Qing Dynasty. By the twentieth century the shapes and styles of the traditional dress were changing. One of the adaptations made was to shorten it and tailor it more sharply so that it outlined the contours of the body, allowing freer movement.

The qipao, or cheongsam as it is also known, became fashionable amongst women, especially those living in urban areas. To some, the qipao was a risqué garment because it exposed female flesh and accentuated the curves of the body. It is often associated with the high life of Shanghai and its glamour, and the style was popularized by cinema and the advertising industry.

This sleeveless qipao is made from a medium-weight silk with an allover pattern of differently-sized circles. The ground has a black and white swirling pattern and the circles are in red, blue, green, yellow and white. It closes to the side and has a small stand-up collar with a square edge. The neck fastens at the front with a decorative knot and loop button and a similar button closes the dress at the collarbone level. A loop and button in a spiral shape closes the dress under the arm and the remainder of the fastenings are press-studs.

FE.41-1995