Chinese Canadian women come of age between the 1990s and 2010s look for fashion inspiration from designers whose work embodies both creativity and activism to capture the diasporic experience. The 1997 “Kuan Yin” dress was designed by Vivienne Tam, one of the most famous contemporary designers of Chinese-inspired garments. The dress is decorated with a religious image of the Buddhist goddess, stretching from the neck to below the waistline. The dress has a round, collarless neck and incorporates a modern concept of transparency. Still, it retains the traditional frame of Chinese cheongsam, including the fitted waist and the tightness to the female body that symbolizes elegance. Many of Tam’s works draw inspiration from traditional Chinese art, religion, philosophy and literature. These garments reflect an authentic image of Chinese women and allow women of Chinese heritage to visually communicate their cultural identity. Qipao recreations like this “Kuan Yin” dress blend Chinese knowledge with Western forms and textures, thus creating meaningful cross-cultural communication in the global fashion world.