Cheongsam, Banner gown, ch'ipau, Qipao
"Chinoserie" Reigns
The acclaim showered on Tom Ford at his last collection for Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche in Paris earlier this year was not only a tribute to his years at the label - but also in recognition of his sensual Chinese-style cheongsam evening gowns. They were the highlight of a stunning final collection, and an acknowledgement of the fascination the West has of this most quintessential of Chinese garments.
The cheongsam, or qipao, is the classic dress for Chinese women, which combines the elaborate elegance of Chinese tradition with unique elements of style. The high-necked, closed-collar cheongsam features a loose chest, asymmetrical fastening, fitted waist and side slits. To fans, the cheongsam encapsulates a woman's modesty, softness and beauty. Designed to show off the natural softness of the female form, it also creates the illusion of long, slender legs
The Cheongsam
The cheongsam is an elegant type of Chinese dress. This close－fitting
dress with a high neck and the slits on the sides, comes from China矾s
Manchu Nationality. There is a beautiful legend from the Manchus about
the cheongsam.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Legend of the Cheongsam
Legend has it that a young fisherwoman lived by the Jingbo Lake. She was not only beautiful, but also clever and skillful. But when fishing, she often felt hindered by her long and loose fitting dress. Then an idea struck her: why not make a more practical dress for work？ She got down to sewing and produced a long multi－looped－button gown with slits, which enabled her to tuck in the front piece of her dress, thus making her job much easier. As a fisherwoman, she never dreamed that a fortune would befall on her.
The young emperor who ruled China at that time had a dream one night. In the dream, his dead father told him that a lovely fisherwoman in cheongsam by the Jingbo Lake would become his queen. After awakening from his deep sleep, the emperor sent his men to look for her. Sure enough, there she was７ So she became the queen, bringing her cheongsam with her. Manchu women all followed suit and soon the cheongsam became popular.
Cheongsam Through the Years
The
cheongsam became popular among ladies of the royal family in the Qing
Dynasty. At that time, cheongsams were fitted loosely and were so long
that they would reach the insteps. Usually, they were made of silk and
the whole dress was embroidered, with broad lace trimmed at the collar,
sleeves and edges.
In the 1920s, the cheongsam underwent a change with the influence of Western styles. The cuffs grew narrower and were usually trimmed with thin lace. The length of the dress was shortened as well. This new adaptation allowed the beauty of the female body to be fully displayed.
In the 1930s, a variety of styles, both long and short, was popular. Starting from the 1940s, cheongsams became closer fitting and more practical and became the standard female attire in Hong Kong until the 1960s. Following Western fashion, the hem was raised to above the knee. The cheongsam was immortalised in Western popular culture when the character Suzie Wong wore it in the movie "Love is a Many Splendored Thing"
Starting from the 1940s, cheongsams became closer－fitting and more practical. In summer, women wore sleeveless dresses. Cheongsams of this period were seldom adorned with patterns.
The Cheongsam Goes Mainstream
Today, the cheongsam has spawned the "Chinoserie" look in fashion. Hong Kong-based designers not surprisingly frequently feature variations: Barney Cheng created exquisitely embellished versions for the female cast of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" when they collected their Oscars. He's also a favourite of movie stars Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li. New York-based Vivienne Tam has adopted chinoiserie as her signature look, while Shanghai Tang and Blanc de Chine are gaining fans around the world for their Chinese-style clothing and accessories. And who can forget Maggie Cheung's beautiful 1950s-style cheongsams in "In the Mood for Love" - created for her by a local tailor?
Western designers love to get in on the act, too. Almost everyone from Armani to Zegna has used Chinese elements such as frog buttons or mandarin collars in collections in the past decade. Donna Karan recently used elements of the cheongsam, while Roberto Cavalli took it to the max in his Spring/Summer 2003 collection with ultra-sexy and ultra-short cheongsams in stretch fabric. Movie star Gong Li was seen wearing one of Tom Ford's cheongsams at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year. And speaking of treading the red carpet, Nicole Kidman looked absolutely stunning in a green Christian Dior gown reminiscent of a cheongsam at the Academy Awards a few years ago.