A recent book by Valery Garrett, titled Chinese Dress: From the Qing Dynasty to the Present (2007, Periplus Publishing, hardcover, 288 pages, HK$550), impresses with its details and illustrations.
Garrett takes pleasure in examining an array of Chinese clothing, from court to formal costumes, from the lower classes' working attire to recent fashions in modern China. Against a background of historical, cultural and social changes, she weaves the story of Chinese garments with references to embroidered robes, military uniforms, children’s garb, wedding and funeral attire, working clothes and Mao-inspired fashions. Of course, the accessories command attention too.
Four early chapters cover the garments of the Qing Dynasty worn by emperors, their consorts and mandarins, plus the merchant class. Later chapters follow the dramatic costume changes in the Republican period, including rural clothing and children's wear, and then more changes since 1949.
Garrett shares more than 450 photos and line drawings, many never published before and showing items held by museums or private collectors. The Hong Kong-based author trained as a designer in London and then worked for leading companies in England and Asia. A former head of fashion design at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, she wrote nine earlier books about Chinese clothing and culture.
This latest volume, Chinese Dress, may become “a collector's item” of sorts. Fashion aficionados, designers, costume historians and historical-movie-makers may find inspiration within its pages.
(February 14, 2008)
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