VINTAGE FASHION has been riding high since the end of the 1990s, when the likes of trend-setting model Kate Moss and cool Hollywood A-lister Chloe Sevigny first donned head-turning little numbers their grandmothers would have worn. All girls about town, it seems, dare to be different, and like their celebrity sisters, want to give the impression they're simply too original and creative to show up at the party in an outfit others might be wearing. Everything from straight-laced Victoriana to antique Valentino (think Julia Roberts at this year's Oscars) is in hot demand, with thrift shops, second-hand market stalls and specialist costume shops alike being ransacked for their old-fashioned booty.
Never usually one to ignore a trend, Hong Kong has yet to embrace this craze for cast-offs with the same gusto as the United States and Europe. But there are a few outlets championing the vintage cause, and art and furniture gallery AM.PM on Graham Street, Central, is one of them. From now until February, it is hosting a one-off exhibition of 30s Chinese fashion - with the added bonus that you can try on and buy whichever pieces you like.
'The response to the clothes has been very good so far,' says gallery manager Lisa Chow. 'Although Chinese people tend not to wear second-hand clothing - some of them are superstitious about it, others just want the latest fashion - about 80 per cent of our clientele are buying pieces for personal wear. [The remainder are collectors.] But whether people have come into the gallery to buy or simply browse, they have all loved this collection.'
With good reason - the clothes, which range in price from $2,000 to $12,000, are exquisite. Traditional robes for men are wide-sleeved and in heavy silk, some lined in wool or fur, while any female worth her salt would have hours of fun dressing up in the collection's diaphanous lace dresses, delicately beaded, hand-embroidered Chinese blouses, fur, wool or sheepskin-lined jackets and silk cheongsams.
While most of the garments are classic in cut, some of the fabrics reflect the-then trend of Western-influenced graphic prints rather than more typical Chinese patterns such as bamboo, birds and dragons. And all of the clothes, Chow believes, are timeless pieces that can easily be teamed with jeans or evening wear for a unique look. There is even a thigh-length fur waistcoat that wouldn't look out of place on a contemporary catwalk.
'The person to whom the clothes belong has been collecting them for many years,' says Chow, who was unable to disclose the collector's identity or the reason why he has suddenly decided to sell his treasures. 'They come from all over China ? so this is very exciting for us and for anyone who loves beautiful clothes.'
