
Cinderella and Her Qipao
Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday to Sunday: 10am - 8pm
Christmas Eve and Chinese New Year's Eve: 10am-5pm
Closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays), and the
first two days of the Chinese New Year
Venue:Exhibition Hall, Hong Kong Film Archive
Free Admission
Qipao (aka Cheongsam) is at once a fashionable symbol and a symbol of fashions in Chinese culture. Its popularity peaked in mid-20th century Hong Kong, where celebrities paraded everywhere in trendy outfits, exuding graceful beauty. An enduring and significant part of Chinese cultural legacy, the craft of cheongsam making had been inscribed onto the National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China. Up to this day, qipaos are frequently featured in our movies.
The ‘Cinderella and Her Qipao’ exhibition is a part of the 2023 Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival and a continuation of our 2017 programme ‘The Stars, the Silver Screen and the Qipao’. Garments from a glorious selection of films that span different eras of Hong Kong filmmaking will be displayed in the new exhibition, recreating the cultural landscapes of the past with qipaos worn on screen by iconic actresses such as Li Lihua, Hsia Moon, Maggie Cheung and Brigitte Lin.
Seminars will be presented as part of the programme and before each seminar will be a screening of the reference film Cinderella and Her Little Angels (1959) which serves as a perfect example of the successful crossover between fashion design and musical film. Actor Peter Chen Ho plays a tailor in the film and the many outfits made by his character—designed by Koo Yik-chun, the founder of Johnson Tailors—are delectable treats for the eyes. Koo’s renowned shop even appears in the film, offering the audience a glimpse of the fashion industry’s glorious glamour.
【Seminars】
Free Admission
1.The Making of the Qipao Exhibition
Date: 27/1/2024 (Sat)
Time: 3:00pm
Speakers: Curatorial team
2.Dialogue between Qipao Eras
Date: 23/3/2024 (Sat)
Time: 3:00pm
Speakers: Edith Cheung and Eunice Lee
Venue: Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive
Seminars are conducted in Cantonese. Free admission.
Free screenings of Cinderella and Her Little Angels (1959) will be held before each seminar.
Limited seats available for screenings of Cinderella and Her Little Angels and seminars on a first-come, first-served basis. Audiences are welcome to queue up at 1/F Foyer 45 minutes before the screenings and seminars begin.
Programme Enquiries: 2739 2139
The contents of the programme do not represent the views of the presenter. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary.