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Apricot silk satin with floral design (杏黃緞地提花三緣)

Late Qing Dynasty (1860~1890’s)
Length: 108 cm
Width: 132 cm

Speculated to be made in 1860’s, this garment displays the style popular in the late Qing Dynasty. Its most prominent feature is the edge along the widened collar which employs the style of the “Ba-Gua shoulder wrapping” and was shaped into a geometric pattern resembling the eight trigrams, or “Ba-Gua” in Chinese culture. Garments such as this were usually worn over a traditional Chinese shirt with oblique placket during full dress occasions, or sewn as the piping onto the shirt. This garment was designed with a stand-up collar, with the right diagonal lapel overlapping the left, and it consists of five slits of the same length. Aside from the broad loose sleeves, this garment has two 29-cm side slits with worm embroidery at the top for reinforcement.

With an apricot-tone ground, the jacquard satin is embroidered with knot patterns delicately braided onto the hem of the collar and the garment itself, and has been lined inside with shaded blue floral satin silk. Extending across the neckline, the placket, and the lower hem, is a broad edging of white silk satin fabric piped with a narrow strip of blue satin fabric. At the fringe the edging is trimmed with auspicious patterns. The edge of the band is embellished with patterns of special knots and patterns illustrated with the trigram motif that in Chinese culture is an abstract representation of a floral bouquet. Around the edging has been added a narrow floral woven satin band bearing flower and butterfly motifs. Affixed with pale blue satin fabric decorated with patterns of knots, the sleeve cuffs are 14-cm backward folded, adorned with richly colored pictures of figures and pavilions. In addition to the fabric button on the collar, there are also four pairs of gilt bronze buttons with floral carvings.

 

Digital Archives Program of Textiles and Clothing, Department of Textiles and Clothing, Fu-Jen Catholic University