HK cheongsam showcases in Japan

October 28, 2018

Fashion-forward:

Designer Janko Lam’s denim cheongsam will be exhibited in Japan and she hopes her design will attract younger women to wear the traditional dress.

Chic hybrid:

Designer Ranee Kok will showcase her cheongsam at the expo as a form of wearable art. Her design retains the traditional features and silhouette of the cheongsam, while still being modern and fashion-forward.

Personal touch:

Designer Amy Wong chose to exhibit a white cheongsam featuring a lotus leaf design (far left) as an homage to her late mentor Ye Si’s poems on lotus leaves.

Fashion plate:

Chief Executive Carrie Lam (centre) earlier met three of the 10 designers whose cheongsams will be featured at the exhibition in Japan.

En vogue:

This design by Mary Yu will go on display at The Chic of Hybridity: A Collection of Contemporary Cheongsam exhibition in Tokyo. (Courtesy of the Hong Kong Arts Centre)

East meets West:

Well-known global fashion designer Vivienne Tam’s take on the cheongsam will feature at the exhibition. (Courtesy of the Hong Kong Arts Centre)

Traditional modernity:

Polly Ho’s modern design will form part of the exhibition. (Courtesy of the Hong Kong Arts Centre)

Architectural vision:

Designer Grace Choi’s cheongsam will go on display at the exhibition. (Courtesy of the Hong Kong Arts Centre)

Cultural kaleidoscope:

This colourful cheongsam was designed by Douglas Young for the expo in Tokyo. (Courtesy of the Hong Kong Arts Centre)

Classical beauty:

Barney Cheng designed a glamorous evening cheongsam for display at the expo. (Courtesy of the Hong Kong Arts Centre)

Flower power:

Designer Fion Fung decided on a floral print for her cheongsam to be exhibited in Tokyo. (Courtesy of the Hong Kong Arts Centre)

Download Video| Transcript

Designer Janko Lam (Translation):
A cheongsam is not only a dress, it embodies the Chinese culture and spirit.

Designer Ranee Kok:
When I design my cheongsam dresses, I always think of the sense of
place. What is Hong Kong? What is the essence of Hong Kong? 

Designer Amy Wong (Translation):
Every cheongsam is unique. You can show the independence and identity of a woman through a cheongsam.

Voiceover:
The Sewing Techniques of Hong Kong-style Cheongsam is on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong.
This traditional dress is also a cultural symbol.

Janko Lam(Translation):
When I learned to make a cheongsam, I also learned the Chinese traditions. Like the flower buttons of a cheongsam, they are made from the same piece of cloth as the cheongsam. This shows the Chinese people’s prudence.

Voiceover:
Janko believes it is possible to adapt cheongsams to this day and age,
while keeping the essence of traditions in the cheongsam-making industry.

Janko Lam(Translation):
Some people have misconceptions about cheongsams, thinking they are old-fashioned or can only be worn on special occasions. I hope through my designs, I can show them a cheongsam can be hip and more wearable.

Voiceover:
The Chic of Hybridity: A Collection of Contemporary Cheongsam exhibition hosted by the Hong Kong Arts Centre will open in Japan in November. It will showcase 10 cheongsams designed by different Hong Kong designers. Janko is one of them.

Janko Lam(Translation):
My cheongsam is made of denim which is widely-used and fashionable. I want to make this traditional clothing more accessible to people.
I will be hosting workshops at the exhibition to show the Japanese people how to make cheongsams using Chinese tools and techniques.

Designer Ranee Kok:
When I start my new collection, I don’t do it as a design project. Instead, I would treat it like an art project. I always use myself as my own customer because when you do art, you always do it from the heart of yourself, you don’t do it for other people.

Voiceover:
A cheongsam can be edgy and fashion-forward while maintaining its traditional features and silhouette. Ranee will showcase her cheongsam designs at the exhibition, but with a twist: as art.

Designer Ranee Kok:
The inspiration is from architecture and nature, and as you can see the fabric, I used the traditional Chinese brocade with a gold bird and blue flowers. And this is the peony. Also, for this ruffle part, it is from nature, the flower petals, plus the pagodas from ancient China, in the Tang Dynasty. 

Voiceover:
She also designed a set of accessories to complement the cheongsam.

Designer Ranee Kok:
All these are the traditional Chinese buttons, so they resemble the Chinese craftsmanship. Yet, I turned it into silver. This is the Chinese flower button. I enlarged the proportion. 
Also, I used Japanese pearl, so it is a combination of Japanese and Chinese culture all mixed up together.

Voiceover:
Amy Wong designed a set of cheongsams in honour of her mentor, renowned Hong Kong writer Ye Si who passed away in 2013.

Designer Amy Wong (Translation):
Inspired by Ye Si’s poem about lotus leaves, I designed a cheongsam featuring lotus leaves. There is also a lotus flower blossom made of white silk on the dress to symbolise Ye Si’s work “blooming” in Hong Kong. 

Voiceover:
Amy also believes that each cheongsam’s uniqueness helps the wearer better appreciate and treasure the garment, especially in an era of overconsumption and fast-fashion.

Designer Amy Wong (Translation):
When you ask a tailor to make a cheongsam, you are involved in the process. You choose the pattern of the cloth, you need a fitting twice or even three times. If you know how it is made, you will treasure it. 

Voiceover:
The cheongsam exhibition will be held from November 3 to 11 in Shibuya. Chief Executive Carrie Lam will tour the exhibits during her visit to Japan.

Hong Kong Arts Centre Executive Director Connie Lam:
A lot of young designers, they want to have new creativity developed from the traditions, so I think, in both designers in Hong Kong and also designers in Japan, they all look into this very important phenomenon. All these cheongsams are made with different ideas and from different designers. I think this is really a very good showcase to show the diversity of design and creativity of Hong Kong designers.

With more than a century of history, the traditional cheongsam continues to develop in Hong Kong and has gradually become a source of inspiration for new creations. The dress is a powerful cultural icon in contemporary Chinese society and one of the most internationally well-known intangible cultural heritage entities. The Sewing Techniques of Hong Kong-style Cheongsam is on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Hong Kong.

To showcase Hong Kong’s unique arts and culture, and to promote its creative industry, the Hong Kong Arts Centre will host a cheongsam exhibition in early November in Japan as part of the Hong Kong Week in Tokyo. Ten different styles of cheongsams by Hong Kong designers will be on display, giving visitors an opportunity to find out about the garment’s evolution, appreciate the skills in cheongsam-making and learn more about what the dress means to Hong Kong.

Traditionally fashion-forward

Janko Lam is one of the designers who will exhibit a cheongsam in Japan. Through workshops, she also hopes to teach visitors about traditional sewing techniques and showcase Chinese culture.

“When I learned to make a cheongsam, I also learned the Chinese traditions. Like the flower buttons of a cheongsam, they are made from the same piece of cloth as the cheongsam. This shows the Chinese people’s prudence.”

Ms Lam designed a denim cheongsam to illustrate how the garment continues to evolve in Hong Kong, while preserving the traditional craftsmanship.

“Some people have misconceptions about cheongsams, thinking they are old-fashioned or can only be worn on special occasions. I hope through my designs, I can show them a cheongsam can be hip and more wearable.”

For Ranee Kok, she will showcase her cheongsam at the expo, but as a form of wearable art. Her evening dress design retains the traditional features and silhouette of the cheongsam, while still being modern and fashion-forward.

“The inspiration is from architecture and nature. The fabric I used is traditional Chinese brocade with gold birds and blue flowers. Also for the ruffle part, it is (inspired by) nature, the flower petals, plus the pagodas from ancient China in the Tang Dynasty.”

Ms Kok also designed a set of accessories to complement her cheongsam, including a ring and bracelet fashioned after a Chinese-style button.

Another Hong Kong designer Amy Wong said every cheongsam is unique, and a woman’s independence and identity can be reflected through wearing one.

Ms Wong’s exhibit is a personal one. It is dedicated to her mentor, renowned Hong Kong writer Ye Si, who passed away in 2013. The design is inspired by Ye Si’s poems on lotus leaves.

“Inspired by Ye Si’s poem, I designed a cheongsam featuring lotus leaves. There is also a lotus flower blossom made of white silk on the dress to symbolise Ye Si’s work ‘blooming’ in Hong Kong.”

Fashion culture

The Chic of Hybridity: A Collection of Contemporary Cheongsam exhibition, organised by the Hong Kong Arts Centre, will run from November 3 to 11 in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Chief Executive Carrie Lam will tour the exhibits during her visit to Japan. Hong Kong Arts Centre Executive Director Connie Lam noted the centre is committed to promoting Hong Kong designs and the exhibition will help foster cultural exchanges between the city and Japan.

“All these cheongsams are made with different ideas and from different designers. I think this is really a very good showcase to show the diversity of design and creativity of Hong Kong designers.”

The Hong Kong Arts Centre will also organise workshops and designer sharing sessions at the expo to introduce the history and tradition of the cheongsam as well as its craftsmanship.