Woman's evening dress (qipao), metallic jersey with chrysanthemum pattern, made in Hong Kong, 1960s

Woman's evening dress, called 'qipao' or 'cheongsam' in Chinese, of metallic jersey with chrysanthemum pattern.

Given by Raymond K.P. Ho & Family

This dress was worn by Ms. Chan Chui Hai, Margaret who was a former Head of the Textiles department at a British-run department store, Whiteaway, Laidlaw & Co. in Hong Kong. Her main duties included working as a fabric buyer and selling fabrics to individual customers. She also liked to buy British or European fabrics imported by her employer and asked a Chinese tailor to make qipao dresses for herself.

Whiteaway, Laidlaw & Co. was a premier department store founded in Calcutta in 1882 by Sir Robert Laidlaw, who is a Scot and built an empire primarily on textiles, home furnishings and imported household products from Britain. He had set up 20 more branches in major British colonial cities in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore. Whiteaway and Laidlaw was known as the “Selfridges of the East." In China, a branch was opened on Nanjing Road in Shanghai in 1904 and it quickly became a favourite with both foreigners and wealthy Chinese. Later a branch was opened on Des Voeux Road Central in Hong Kong. It was closed in 1973 when Ms. Chan retired at the age of 50.

This evening dress belongs to Ms. Chan Chui Hai, Margaret who was born on 1st August 1924 in Hong Kong. She was a former Head of the Textiles department at a British-run department store, Whiteaway, Laidlaw & Co. in Hong Kong until it closed down in 1973.

This one-piece dress called qipao or cheongsam originates from Manchu dress of the Qing dynasty. But its shortened sleeves and form-fitting silhouette display the influence of Western fashion.

The 1950s and ’60s were a golden period for qipao fashion in Hong Kong. Women wore knee-length qipao as a trendy form of everyday wear. This full-length dress would have been reserved for special occasions, and completed with statement jewellery and accessories. Darts and stretchy fabric would accentuate the wearers’ curves.

FE.22-2019