Introduction

The influx of Chinese and Western consumer goods into Hong Kong in the twentieth century helped commerce to flourish in the territory, and they also bore witness to changes in local fashions. Calendar posters, packaging boxes and advertising leaflets featured pictures of chic women dressed in cheongsams as early as the 1930s, a time when the promotion of Hong Kong merchandise closely followed the fashion trends of Shanghai. By the 1960s and 1970s, a number of film and TV actresses and pop singers known for their keen sense of fashion were choosing to wear the dress when performing on stage, attending entertainment events and other functions and posing on promotional posters and album covers. Their beautiful cheongsams echoed the stylish and tasteful dresses favoured by famous movie stars of the 1930s from Shanghai, further testimony to the distinct charisma that this dress has always radiated.