27/4/2012 – 10/6/2012

Central Atrium, Olympian City 2

Jointly presented by
Hong Kong Museum of History
Olympian City
Sino Art

Co-organised by
Institute of Textiles & Clothing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Free admission 

Museum Outreach
"Transformation of the Qipao" is a debut collaboration of the Hong Kong Museum of History, Sino Art and Olympian City which promotes the unique Chinese cultural and artistic legacy of the qipao. The exhibition, which is the first attempt of Hong Kong Museum of History to bring their valuable collections to the community, showcases about 70 pieces of qipao, ranging from late Qing to present day and including around 50 pieces selected from the museum's collections. The exhibition aims to reveal the developments of the classic Chinese dress in relation to socio-cultural changes across the century, and shows how the timeless qipao continues to evolve and transform in contemporary times. Exhibit highlights include the qipao worn by Mrs Anson Chan at the ceremony marking the handover of Hong Kong in 1997 which is displayed for the first time, and valuable pieces worn by celebrity Mrs Carrie Lam, Mrs Vera Waters and veteran film star Suet Nei.

To highlight how qipao inspires contemporary designers and fosters creativity in our local talents, alumni from the Institute of Textiles & Clothing of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University have come up with brand new qipao designs for the exhibition. In addition, exquisite and unique qipao by renowned local designers Barney Cheng, Ranee K and home-grown brands Chinese Arts & Crafts – Artistic Palace and G.O.D. will be exhibited.