Qipao
ca. 1965 (tailored)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This velvet cheongsam was made around 1965. Although the cheongsam is based on the traditional qipao, and in its traditional form, silk was the favoured material used in tailoring. By the twentieth century it had evolved into a modern one-piece form-fitting dress, and other types of fabrics were experimented with.
This modern cheongsam captures the fashion of the 1960s with its psychedelic print, which is in turn enhanced by the shimmering effect of the velvet. 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. The darts under the bust at the front of the dress are a feature of western tailoring.
This modern cheongsam captures the fashion of the 1960s with its psychedelic print, which is in turn enhanced by the shimmering effect of the velvet. 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. The darts under the bust at the front of the dress are a feature of western tailoring.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Synthetic panne velvet, machine sewn, printed design |
| Brief description | Qipao, printed panne velvet. Hong Kong, ca.1965 |
| Physical description | Woman's dress (known as a cheongsam in Cantonese or a qipao in Mandarin) made of printed panne velvet. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Supported by the Friends of the V&A |
| Object history | The dress was was previously owned by Mdm Cheung Kiu-Tai, and then donated to Valery Garrett |
| Historical context | This robe comes from a collection of cheongsams worn by urban fashionable women, including starlets from Shanghai. The synthetic fabric marks a development in materials used in the traditional qipao |
| Summary | This velvet cheongsam was made around 1965. Although the cheongsam is based on the traditional qipao, and in its traditional form, silk was the favoured material used in tailoring. By the twentieth century it had evolved into a modern one-piece form-fitting dress, and other types of fabrics were experimented with. This modern cheongsam captures the fashion of the 1960s with its psychedelic print, which is in turn enhanced by the shimmering effect of the velvet. 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. The darts under the bust at the front of the dress are a feature of western tailoring. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.47-1995 |
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| Record created | June 20, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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