This cheongsam with floral embroidery and gold trimmings was designed by Puan Sri Rosalind Foo (1913-2008). The cheongsam has a short, above-the-knee hemline, influenced by the 'mini' in Western fashion and extremely popular during the 1960s. The bust darts on the dress ensured that it fitted the form of the wearer. Foo grew up in Singapore and later attended the Slade School of Fine Art in London in the 1930s, where she studied Western drawing and painting techniques and was exposed to Western fashion influences. She experimented with variations of the cheongsam, and her interest in this genre culminated in 1949 in a fashion show called “A Festival of Chinese Fashion” featuring her designs. The was organized by the Chinese Women’s Association and held at the Raffles Hotel.
