AS YOU put on your school uniform every morning, have you ever wondered how it evolved?
On a sunny morning, Fong Yip-kwong has a few interesting stories to tell over a few dishes of dim-sum and a cup of tea. The 77-year-old is one of the oldest uniform makers in Hong Kong.
'In the 1930s, few schools had written regulations on uniforms. We put on what everybody else wore.
'My cousin studied at Wah Yan College then. The boys there wore white tai-kum sam (traditional Chinese men's top; imagine a cheungsam cut short) and white trousers. They liked to pin a pen on their chest to appear more sophisticated.'
White blouses and black skirts were the usual girls' school wear. Pullovers and overcoats of all designs and colours were accepted for cooler weather.
Mr Fong is the owner of Fung Cheong Shun (FCS) Limited, a family business that has served local students since 1936.