HKDI Gallery

In 1978, China embarked on its open door policy. After decades of uniforms, fashion shows became trendsetters, together with TV programmes, movies and concerts. The first generation of designers, born around the 1960s and well tested by hardship, had usually held a variety of jobs in addition to design. They often retained strong links to their schools and later returned to teach the next generation. They were knowledgeable about and respected historical Chinese clothing styles. They were also politically aware, patriotic, and active on design-related committees and in industrial and business associations. These designers’ works were often reminiscent of the classic elegance of the era from 1920-1950: pragmatic and beautiful.

In the 1990s, the Chinese fashion world rapidly advanced. International fashion publications launched Chinese editions and the China Fashion Association (CFA), Brother Cup China International Young Fashion Designers Contest, Chinese model competitions, and China Fashion Week were established. The fashion designer stars of this period were born in the late 1960s and 1970s. They had usually received a good education and many had studied or worked abroad, or had had experience working in state-owned and private companies. As practitioners, they went on to develop diverse styles and approaches in line with the commercial market. After gaining fame through winning contests, many established their own brands and successfully promoted themselves through the media. There was much less of a traditional Chinese element in these designers’ works. Some were influenced by trends in Japan and Europe and adopted spiritual and philosophical ideas – harmony, peace and nature – in their designs.

The rapid growth of information technology fueled China’s fashion industry, from production to promotion to sales. The Beijing Olympics in 2008 set the stage for the country to impress the world with its design and style capabilities and potential. Leading global museums, including London’s Victoria & Albert Museum and New York’s Metropolitan Museum, held major exhibitions on Chinese costumes and fashion, and Chinese faces became familiar in international fashion weeks. At home, rising GDP led to further expansion of the middle class and the birth of a nouveau riche class. Education abroad, opportunities for travel for leisure, innovative museums and an increasingly active art scene all brought fresh ideas. As these influences intertwined and evolved, clothing became a billboard to showcase a person’s identity.

The China National Silk Museum is the country’s Key Scientific Research Base for Textile Conservation. The Museum has participated in many excavations and studies of archaeological textiles and costumes. During the conservation process, information on fibres, dye, weave and make of costumes is recorded and studied while the making of a replica becomes a way to learn more about how clothing was originally constructed. Replicas are also useful when the originals are too fragile to be exhibited. Often, full information cannot be located from one source and descriptions from ancient texts and finds from other excavations are used for additional reference. Costumes on display in this exhibition are the result of such studies.

In imperial China, pictures and other representations of tilling and weaving were an important means for rulers to demonstrate their interest in the welfare of the people as well as highlight ideals related to rural life, social harmony and political order. This 12th-century scroll is the earliest Chinese painting known to show the entire process of sericulture. Originally part of the Chinese imperial collection, it was taken to Northeast China in the 1930s by the last Qing Dynasty ruler, Puyi, when he was installed as Emperor of Manchukuo by the Japanese. The scroll was lost when Puyi was deposed at the end of World War II. It was rediscovered in 1947, purchased by Feng Yixin, a private citizen, and donated to Heilongjiang Museum in 1983.

All images are provided by China National Silk Museum 所有圖片由中國絲綢博物館提供