From Silver Screen to Street Style: The Enduring Allure of the Qipao
The qipao, a quintessential symbol of Chinese femininity, stands as a testament to the nation's rich cultural heritage and its journey through modernity. This iconic garment, with its ability to accentuate the female form while maintaining an air of elegant restraint, has captured the imagination of designers, filmmakers, and fashion enthusiasts alike for generations.
In the pantheon of Chinese cinema, the qipao has played a starring role, often serving as a visual shorthand for sophistication, sensuality, and a particular moment in time. From Maggie Cheung's haunting portrayal of Fleur in Rouge (1987) to Tang Wei's understated elegance as Xiao Hong in The Golden Era (2014), the qipao has been instrumental in bringing characters to life and evoking specific historical periods.
However, it was Wong Kar-wai's 2000 masterpiece, In the Mood for Love, that truly cemented the qipao's status as a cinematic icon. Set against the backdrop of 1960s Hong Kong, the film follows the intertwining lives of Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), neighbors who discover their spouses are having an affair. As their own relationship develops, Su Li-zhen's ever-changing array of qipaos becomes a visual language, expressing her emotional journey and the constraints of societal expectations.
The creation of these qipaos was a labor of love and craftsmanship. Renowned Hong Kong designer William Chang Suk Ping collaborated with qipao master Leung Longkong, then in his 70s, to bring his vision to life. Chang's designs merged traditional Chinese silk fabrics with Western tailoring techniques, creating garments that highlighted the hourglass silhouette while incorporating elements like mandarin collars, side slits, and hidden zippers.
"In the Mood for Love": A Cinematic Ode to the Qipao's Elegance
Over two years, Leung Longkong meticulously crafted more than 30 qipaos for the film, with about 20 making it to the screen. Each dress was a work of art, featuring unique patterns such as lattice designs, vertical stripes, embroidery, and prints. The color palette ranged from classic black and white to vibrant yellows, greens, blues, and orange-reds, each hue carefully chosen to reflect Su Li-zhen's emotional state and the film's overall aesthetic.
Wong Kar-wai's directorial style, known for its non-linear narrative and atmospheric scenes, found a perfect complement in the qipao. As the story unfolds through a series of vignettes, each new qipao worn by Cheung serves as a subtle marker of time passing and emotional shifts. The dresses become a silent narrator, guiding the audience through the labyrinth of unspoken desires and societal constraints that define the characters' world.
William Chang, reflecting on the costume design, noted that he aimed for "an unbearably inelegant beauty," creating looks that embodied the character of Su Li-zhen – a woman who always ensured her hair was done, her makeup perfect, and her dress impeccable, even as she navigated complex emotional terrain.
The Qipao as a Cultural Barometer: Reflecting China's Changing Society
The qipao in In the Mood for Love becomes more than just clothing; it's a metaphor for the moral standards of the time, a beautiful but restrictive garment that mirrors the social constraints preventing Su Li-zhen and Chow Mo-wan from fully realizing their feelings for each other.
As famed Chinese writer Eileen Chang once observed, "For those who cannot speak, clothes are a language, a portable drama they carry with them." This sentiment rings especially true for the qipao-clad women immortalized on film. Even stripped of all considerations of desire, morality, society, and politics, these characters retain a captivating allure, like flickering candlelight that constantly shifts and changes but can never be extinguished.
This multifaceted nature of the qipao – its ability to embody sensuality and modesty, elegance and flamboyance, tradition and modernity – is what sets it apart as a truly unique garment on the global fashion stage. It encapsulates the essence of Chinese cultural aesthetics while simultaneously serving as a canvas for individual expression.
Despite the challenges of wearing a qipao – its demanding fit, the posture required, the potential lack of comfort – many women still cherish owning at least one, reserving it for special occasions like weddings or important festivals. In doing so, they participate in a cultural continuity that stretches back through generations, connecting modern wearers with their heritage.
As China continues to evolve and redefine its place on the global stage, the qipao remains a potent symbol of its cultural identity. More than just a garment, it represents a condensed form of Chinese culture, expressing the subtle beauty and unique charm of Chinese femininity. Whether on the silver screen or in everyday life, the qipao continues to captivate, telling stories of tradition, transformation, and the enduring power of elegance.
