Classic clothing hurrayed in Hong Kong
Traditional Chinese garments gaining appeal, recognition at international hub where East meets West
Chinese style
Hanfu joins another form of traditional dress in Hong Kong that has long been preserved in the city — cheongsam, or qipao in Mandarin Chinese.
The sewing techniques used in Hong Kong-style cheongsam were included among 20 items inscribed into the city's first-ever representative list of intangible cultural heritage in 2017. It was later included on the national list in 2021.
Haze Ng Kwok-hei, a committee member of the Hong Kong Cheongsam Association, told China Daily that Hong Kong is the best place in the world for preserving and passing on the art of cheongsam. Ng said in the 1950s, a large group of skilled tailors from Shanghai moved to Hong Kong, fueling the development of the city's tailoring industry.
Cheongsam has appeared in several acclaimed Hong Kong films, including In the Mood for Love in 2000, starring Hong Kong actress Maggie Cheung Man-yuk.
The glory days of the Hong Kong film industry have also served as a springboard, thrusting traditional attire representing Chinese culture into the international arena.
