Chinese Dress - by Valery Garrett (Paperback)

About the Book

Featuring over 450 archival photographs and line drawings, Chinese Dress traces the evolution of Chinese clothing from court and formal costumes to the everyday fashions of twenty-first century China. Author Valery Garrett skillfully weaves the story of Chinese dress in all its variations - elaborately embroidered robes, military uniforms, children's dress, wedding and funeral attire, working clothes, Mao-inspired fashion - against a backdrop of historical, cultural and social change. A comprehensive and sumptuously illustrated book, this book includes images of garments and accessories from museum and private collections, as well as unpublished or little-known archival photos and printed materials.

Book Synopsis

Featuring over 450 archival photographs and line drawings, Chinese Dress traces the evolution of Chinese clothing from court and formal costumes to the everyday fashions of twenty-first century China.

Author Valery Garrett skillfully weaves the story of Chinese dress in all its variations--elaborately embroidered robes, military uniforms, children's dress, wedding and funeral attire, working clothes, Mao-inspired fashion--against a backdrop of historical, cultural and social change.

A comprehensive and sumptuously illustrated book, this book includes images of garments and accessories from museum and private collections, as well as unpublished or little-known archival photos and printed materials.

Chapters include:

• Dress of the Qing Manchu Rulers 1644-1911
• Dress of the Manchu Consorts 1644-1911
• Attire of Mandarins and Merchants
• Attire of Chinese Women
• Republican Dress 1912-1949
• Clothing of the Lower Classes
• Clothing for Children
• Dress in New China 1950-Present Day

For both modern fashion inspiration and accurate historical representation, Chinese Dress is the essential reference for costume historians, fashion designers and collectors, as well as lovers of beautiful clothes!

Review Quotes

"...an excellent introduction into Chinese dress and Chinese history for any individual who is interested in expanding their knowledge of dress history or knowledge of Chinese culture." --The Journal of Dress History

"...the book is a serious, if brief, history of the period, but what sets it apart from similar academic books is that there are many background details such as where or why certain customs originated." --Journal of the Oriental Rug and Textile Society of Great Britain

"Valery Garrett's research on Chinese dress, especially that worn by the local people, has been a constant inspiration to me as a fashion designer in New York." --Vivienne Tam, fashion designer

About the Author

Valery Garrett trained as a fashion designer in London before working in Hong Kong as the head of Fashion Design at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for more than thirty years. From her early research into rural clothing worn in Hong Kong, she has become a respected authority on Chinese dress from the Qing dynasty to the present day. She lectures frequently at home and abroad, has served as a consultant for museums and collections around the world and has authored more than ten books on the subject, including Chinese Dragon Robes, Chinese Clothing: An Illustrated Guide and Traditional Chinese Clothing in Hong Kong and South China. Her personal collection of Chinese dress has been exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum as well as in museums in Hong Kong, Macau, Canada and Australia. She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong. Her website is www.valerygarrett.com