Cheongsam , 1990s
Dress

This cheongsam belongs to Linda Yip, a fourth-generation Chinese genealogist and historian. Growing up, Linda was rejective of her Chinese identity and tried very hard to be white. The first time she wore a cheongsam was her grandmother’s wedding dress, but that experience was uncomfortable as she felt a sense of disconnection and inauthenticity. In her coming of age, Linda went on a world trip, giving up stability to pursue a new life. This trip was a milestone in her life, offering her a sense of freedom and the ability to make her own decisions. In Vietnam, Linda saw many Vietnamese women wearing their traditional dress, the Ao Dai, and proud to display their cultural identity. Linda then purchased her first tailor-made cheongsam in Vietnam. Linda’s negotiation of her cultural identity through clothing demonstrates that identity is a “production” that is never complete. It also shows clothing choices can be used to enact agency, expressing one’s relationship with their cultural heritage that is fluid and constantly changing throughout one’s lifetime.

Exhibited by:

Violet Wolfe

Other works by Unknown

Mask
150 x 40 cm (h x w)
Wood, cotton, plant fibers, feathers
The Wanderlust Museum
Laundry , N/A
22 x 30 x 5 cm (h x w x d)
etching
Frederick Mulder
John Green and Hannah Hall photographed at the door of Blintarn Cottage , 1890
344.8 x 226 x 3 cm (h x w x d)
Photography
Wordsworth Grasmere
5 MPH Black Lives Matter NYPD Barricade , 2020
Acrylic on Wood
MXD WRLD
Contemporary Cheongsam II , 2010s
Dress
Violet Wolfe

More from Violet Wolfe

Chinatown’s Girls Drill Team , 1960
Photograph
Violet Wolfe
Oriental Inspirations , 1980s
Garment
Violet Wolfe
Pendant , 2010s
Jewelry
Violet Wolfe
Rings , 2010s
Jewelry
Violet Wolfe
Chinese-Style Shawl , 1990s
Garment
Violet Wolfe