In this blog, I likely to share my inspiration behind of making the city costume design. First of all, this research is quite different with other research because the designer is not a legendary designer. However I will try to put the information as clear as I can give.
My inspiration for my city costume design is from Cindy Huang, a fashion designer for bridal and couture from Indonesia. I saw her on Instagram. Click me. Cindy Huang is quite famous in Indonesia for making a dress for Sangjit. Sangjit is a Chinese tradition "...the celebration that combine the engagement and betrothal ritual." (Bridestory, 2018). The dress for Sangjit is called Qipao or Cheongsam, which means long dress or long robes. Qipao has many symbols in one dress, such as the phoenix bird, flowers, and other Chinese beliefs. Cindy Huang designed the Qipao in a modern version and used embroidery to create the symbols on the dress. Moreover, she is so detailed in crafting the dresses and fascinatingly constructs the symbols to create a beautiful dress.
In addition, I am likely to give information about Qipao or Cheongsam history. Qipao began in the Manchu era in the 17th century, when the traditional fashion of costly and complex clothing was discarded, and a significant transition was witnessed (MayBoo Clothing, 2019). According to MayBoo Clothing (2019), in the past, Qipao was designed using open sleeves and long, narrow waist, and a flowing skirt that flared; the more sophisticated and exquisite the attire, the better the status. MayBoo Clothing (2019) mentions that Qipao has represented wealth, literacy, and power since 1644 AD, and it was adopted by Hong Kong and Taiwan, so it experienced changes every ten years until the 1950s. Moreover, nowadays, Cheongsam is worn only for occasional events, such as weddings, sangjit, and more (MayBoo Clothing, 2019).
At present, Qipao uses satin, silk, cotton, velvet, and lace as the common fabrics; sequins, beads, or gold and silver-lined embroidery are used to decorate the more intricate and elegant designs (HanfuSupplier, 2023). According to East Meets Dress. (n.d.) that the motifs that are usually used for Qipao are animals and flowers; the animals that are used are phoenix and dragon because the phoenix was referred to as "the King of Birds," and the dragon as "the Ruler of Beasts." which means phoenix represents the Chinese Empress and the dragon represents the Chinese Emperor; other common animal that is used can be butterfly, horse, crane, bat and more. East Meets Dress. (n.d.) mentions that the florals that are commonly used for Qipao are lilies - which symbolise enduring and joyful relationships, lotus - representing longevity, respect, and innocence, peony - standing for prosperity, splendour, and serenity, and orchids - which symbolise fertility and affection.
I chose the Qipao or Cheongsam design as my inspiration for the city costume because the dress gives much meaning or message through the symbols that are contained in the dress. Not only is the design many symbols, but it can constructed well and seem elegant while the person wears it. Moreover, the material used for Qipao is already sustainable, making the dress fascinating and an excellent choice for the environment.
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