From HK with pride: the cheongsam

The enduring appeal of the Chinese cheongsam dress will be celebrated during Hong Kong Week in Canada.

"Transformative Chic: The Everlasting Cheongsam Exhibition", presented by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), will be a virtual showcase across Canada during 2021 Hong Kong Week through June.

Cheongsam, also known as qipao, is one of the most fascinating Intangible Cultural Heritage (as classified by the United Nations) traditions found in Hong Kong. Cheongsam originated from the traditional Manchu costume, which was introduced to China nationwide after the establishment of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

The exhibition will display different styles of cheongsam and relevant photos by nine Hong Kong premier designers, who have revitalized the timeless women's cultural icon and made it contemporary.

In delivering a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Emily Mo, the director of the HKETO, said the Hong Kong designers represent the strengths of Hong Kong — one of the world's premier financial business centers.

Mo noted that the economy of Hong Kong's is gradually recovering after the city battled with the COVID-19 pandemic for more than a year.

"Supported by our unique advantages under the 'one country, two systems' principle, not only are international events returning to Hong Kong with special health measures in place, exciting major developments are also coming along on various fronts for Hong Kong. These include the city's unique role in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as the country's developments as affirmed by the national 14th Five-Year Plan," Mo said.

"Through the camera lens, we can record our human life experience, the development of a city, the evolution of our culture, and the transformation of cheongsam, a symbol representing the Chinese identity and feminine grace and elegance," said Stephen Siu, chair of the Chinese Canadian Photographic Society of Toronto that co-presents the exhibition.

Among the designers, Grace Choi was born in Shanghai and grew up in Hong Kong. By designing cheongsam in a more loose-fitting, casual style, she has established her own label Yi-ming, derived from her name in Mandarin pinyin.

"In my designs, I have tried to reimagine the traditional cheongsam as a modern outfit," said Choi. "I'm fascinated with the distinctive style of oriental fashion cultures and aim to create a modern, chic interpretation of the East-meets-West style of ladies' wear."

Jasmine Cheung was born in Los Angeles but spent most of her life in Hong Kong, although she still consumed US pop culture and media.

"I didn't see enough Asian representation, and when Asians were represented it was often done in a way that either fetishized or mocked Asian people," said Cheung. "After watching Crazy Rich Asians, a film that featured an all-Asian cast, it left me with a feeling of pride and happiness. I wanted to replicate this exact feeling and share it to other people through our clothing."

Polly Ho, a recipient of numerous design awards, said her qipao started with Canton silk, a fabric with a rich history. "The richness and story of this exquisite fabric inspired me. It was already listed as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritages in China. We took inspiration from Chinese legend stories. It is our goal to utilize this fabric in a modern way."

Ranee Kok, whose design focus on sustainability and socioenvironmental issues in fashion, said she got inspirations from the stereotype that Chinese women are often viewed as "demure and introverted".

"I designed a close-fitting corset on the outside of the cheongsam to represent that our society should respect and appreciate inner feelings and qualities of females, yet unfortunately there is still oppression and discrimination against women in many places around the world," Kok said.

With her love and passion for Chinese costumes, Janko Lam said that for a long time, the traditional Chinese clothing designed for women is dominated by cheongsam. "With this in mind, I wanted to break through the tradition and design a piece of dress that could bring out the elegance of luxury, but also present a unique feminine quality."

Kenny Li, a member of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, believes that the essence of cheongsam lies in its unique collar, wrap front and flower buttons. "My design aims to combine features of the cheongsam and British equestrian clothing in order to integrate fashion ideas of Eastern and Western cultures."