Not on display

Suit

1949-1974 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

FE.94-1983: The jacket is mid-blue silk with a small scale self pattern all over. It is of traditional Chinese cut without without shoulder seams, a high collar, and button and loop-fastenings. It has three patch pockets, a less traditional feature. It is lined throughout with a plain weave, grey/blue silk and is wadded. The lining is not attached at the hem of the jacket. The wadding is sandwiched in place between a soft unbleached cotton and the plain silk lining. Rows of quilting stitches run across the jacket vertically.
FE.94A-1975: The trousers are of the same top silk and lining silk as the jacket and are similarly wadded. They are of a traditional baggy cut with no seams along the outside edge. There is a small gusset at the crotch. The deep waistband is of blue cotton and is designed to be worn bunched in with a belt

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Jacket
  • Trousers
Materials and techniques
Self-patterned silk padded with cotton wadding
Brief description
Man's suit, blue self-patterned silk padded with cotton wadding, China, 1949-74
Physical description
FE.94-1983: The jacket is mid-blue silk with a small scale self pattern all over. It is of traditional Chinese cut without without shoulder seams, a high collar, and button and loop-fastenings. It has three patch pockets, a less traditional feature. It is lined throughout with a plain weave, grey/blue silk and is wadded. The lining is not attached at the hem of the jacket. The wadding is sandwiched in place between a soft unbleached cotton and the plain silk lining. Rows of quilting stitches run across the jacket vertically.
FE.94A-1975: The trousers are of the same top silk and lining silk as the jacket and are similarly wadded. They are of a traditional baggy cut with no seams along the outside edge. There is a small gusset at the crotch. The deep waistband is of blue cotton and is designed to be worn bunched in with a belt
Dimensions
  • Fe.94 1983 length: 85cm
  • Fe.94 1983 width: 174cm
  • Fe.94 a 1983 length: 127cm
Gallery label
This man's suit, cut in traditional Chinese style, was made for Sir John Addis to wear while riding his bicycle around Beijing when serving in the British diplomatic service there. Worn over his European clothes, the suit's blue colour, worn by many Chinese during the years he lived in Beijing, made him a little less conspicuous among the crowds on the street. The suit's fabric was not, however, commonly worn by the Chinese people at that time.
Credit line
Addis Bequest
Object history
Made by a Chinese tailor for Sir John Addis to wear while riding his bicycle around Beijing when serving in the British diplomatic service there.

Registered File number 1965/3344.
Bibliographic references
  • Wilson, Verity, Chinese Dress, London: V&A Publications, 1986, page 81, fig. 71
  • Wilson, Verity, 'A Diplomat's Collection: The Chinese Textiles of Sir John Addis' in Arts of Asia, vol.33, number 2, 2003, pp. 90-101, plate 26
Collection
Accession number
FE.94&A-1983

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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