Fashion

Hong Kong’s textile industry underwent significant developments during the 1960s and 1970s. The influence of Western culture and celebrities changed the face of fashion in the city, and traditional Chinese costumes such as the woman’s cheongsam and the man’s samfu suit were gradually replaced by Western attire. Young ladies began wearing miniskirts and using large amounts of hairspray to create high beehives, while the Hawaiian shirt became a favourite among men, who also applied hair cream to style their hair in imitation of characters in popular Hollywood films. As new hairstyles emerged, wigs also became immensely popular, and the wig industry only went into decline in the late 1970s.

During the 1970s, hot pants and platform shoes were the height of ladies fashion, while bell-bottom trousers distinguished the trendiest men. Meanwhile, the film Game of Death starring Bruce Lee introduced sportswear to the fashion scene. As the decade drew to a close, many Hong Kong factories began manufacturing jeans for international fashion brands, and denim became a must-have item in young people’s wardrobes. At the same time, large Japanese department stores were opened in Hong Kong and, together with fashion shows featuring Japanese models on the catwalk, created a niche market for Japanese clothes. These developments in the fashion industry would go on to inspire the trends of the 1980s.