Title
Cheongsam made in sari material
Year/Period
1970s
Region
Acquired in Singapore
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: 99.8 x 67.0 cm
Accession No.
2021-00067
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs Chan Ah Kow
This cheongsam is made of a light fabric which was initially intended for a sari, but fashioned into the silhouette of a cheongsam by the bespoke tailor shop Peony. Cheongsams such as this one reflect Singapore's unique blend of cultures, and the creation of a new aesthetic for Singapore's fashion which was inspired by local fabrics and textiles since the 1960s. The cultural hybridity as reflected in the cheongsam was aided by the opening of integrated schools and more women entering the workforce in the 1970s. This expanded women's social and ethnic spheres, increasing the mixing of cultures and borrowing or adaptation of one culture's aesthetic into another's fashion.
