Search by Subject
Search by Institution
Light blue satin embroidered with richly-colored floral design (淺藍緞地彩繡花卉)

During the Japanese colonial period (1910~1920’s)
Length: 108 cm
Width: 123.6 cm

This robe for women belongs to Madame Lin Chang-E of the Zheng family in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Also known as Chianhua, Madame Lin was born in 1908. This garment used to be worn in her youth, from about 1920 to 1940.

In late 20s’ the cheongsam was in vogue in big cities of mainland China, but it wasn’t until the 1930’s the improved style of cheongsam became popular in Taiwan. The cheongsam of this day had a loose and broad shape, with the smaller cuffs than previous iterations and a skirt long enough to cover the knees.

The dress pictured is a long robe with a stand-up collar and a right diagonal lapel which overlaps the left. It is made of blue satin with colorful floral motifs by employing the encroaching satin stitch and knot stitch techniques. The garment was sewn with pearl metallic fabric buttons as well as the hidden buttons on the side beneath the flanks. This gown is not an example of the improved cheongsam style since it is less close-fitting with a more shaped waistline, dating the item from the 1920s or even as late as the 1940s.

 

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