CNY keeps cheongsam in fashion
Published on: Friday, January 20, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: The Chinese New Year celebration helps keep the cheongsam – a body-hugging, one-piece traditional Chinese dress for women – in fashion in that more Chinese women are seen wearing this attire during the festivities.Vouching for this is veteran seamstress June Lee, 55, from Kudat, who receives more tailoring orders than on non-festive days.She said the cheongsam (also known as qipao) is invariably a must-wear outfit for many Chinese women not only during the Chinese New Year festival but also on wedding, birthday or anniversary occasions where it is worn as an evening gown.
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Ask around for any superior cheongsam maker, and the name June's Fashion would come up for the umpteenth time. Wives of VIPs, women professionals, working ladies and housewives are among her clientele."To meet customer orders, I need at least two to three months before the start of the festival. When I was younger, I had to sew clothes up to the wee hours of the morning to accommodate the demand," she said.Depending on the type of material and pattern, and whether lining or gathers is required, Lee, assisted by six dressmakers, can sew two cheongsams in a day. "For silk, being soft material, it is more difficult to sew and takes more time."
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On the suitability of material, she would accept cotton, polyester, lace material or even material for the baju kurung (traditional Malay costume). An elegant array of modern-day cheongsams at June's Fashion includes those made from batik cotton, batik silk, polyester and polyester material for baju kurung with a floral pattern as the centrepiece.
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A contemporary version is that of the cheongsam made from lace applique fabric with satin lining.Whether the cheongsam is knee, midi or maxi-length is a matter of choice and depends on the wearer's height, according to Lee. "Most customers prefer their own design. For others, I would recommend what suits them best. It can be sleeved or sleeveless. If the ladies don't want slits, I would suggest an overlap at the back of the dress," she said, quipping that the customer is always right.Lee began her dressmaking journey at the age of 16 when she learned the basics of sewing from a sifu (expert) in her hometown, and worked for the latter for a while."After I had saved some money, I moved to Kota Kinabalu to perfect my skills. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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