A Cheung-Sam Guide
By Heather Harlan

The timeless cheung-sam -- those elegant, sleeveless sheathes of embroidered silk that complement almost any figure -- have shown up everywhere from the Grammy Awards to high society benefit dinners.

Both Western and Asian designers have noticed -- and have incorporated the cheung-sam’s (or qi pao’s) form fitting, high-collared silhouette into their own designs.

“The cheung-sam combines a modern sexy style of dressing with a clear ethnic heritage,” says Valerie Steele, chief curator of the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Although it’s perhaps the garment that most easily comes to mind when one thinks of traditional Chinese clothing, the cheung-sam is actually a relatively new invention.

“It’s a brilliant hybrid that was created by modern urban Chinese women in the 1920s,” explains Steele. “It combines the long one-piece robes traditionally worn by Chinese men with Western styles being worn at the time.”

Steele noted that the 1997 handover of Hong Kong to mainland China inspired a lot of Western designers to create cheung-sam-inspired looks in their collections that year -- sparking the re-emergence of a trend that shows no sign of abating. “It’s become one of the standard evening styles.”

But if you don’t want to plop down $4,000 or more for John Galliano’s Christian Dior version -- you can always go back to his original inspiration to find a flattering option for evening that’s beautiful but a fraction of the cost. In New York’s Chinatown, ready-to-wear cheung-sams can be found in several stores along Mott Street and Canal Street. An ankle length one in floral brocade usually sells for between $60-$80, and perhaps $10 to $20 less along San Francisco’s Grant Avenue. Most of these are rayon -- although silk ones can be found as well.

Though such shops are often overfilled with dusty paraphernalia and tourists, they contain real treasures for those who care to look. A recent trip to a tiny storefront shop on Canal Street yielded a white silk, ankle-length sleeveless cheung-sam in silk charmeuse with an intricately embroidered dragon-and-phoenix design done in pastel shades. The price: $70 -- the same for a cap-sleeved sky-blue dress embroidered all over with multi-colored butterflies. Down the block at another store, a small handbag with pink plum blossom brocade and a beaded handle was a steal at $10.

Some stores, such as Pearl River Mart on Grand and Chrystie Street, offer cheung-sam-inspired separates as well as the classic knee-length and ankle-length versions. Most are made from the same brocades used for the dresses, though some are made from plainer fabrics such as silk crepe or velvet. These are great for less formal occasions. Put a sleeveless purple silk crepe-de-chine top with mandarin collar in a lightly woven bamboo pattern jacquard -- a great buy at about $25 at Pearl River -- paired with a straight long matte jersey skirt from J. Crew or Banana Republic and you have an elegant but not too dressy evening option.

The other good thing about separates is that it may be easier to find something that fits properly. Because cheung-sams are fitted, you will probably have to take a new one to a tailor for at least a few minor adjustments. The other option is to have one custom-made at a tailor shop. In New York’s Chinatown, there are several cheung-sam tailors. Prices start at about $250 and go up, depending on the fabric and choice of piping. But that’s still not a bad deal for a custom-made gown that will still be in style many seasons from now.

“For a truly proper fit, we need to take measurements in more than 20 different places,” says Adelina Wong, marketing director for Shanghai Tang’s, the uptown boutique that serves as cheong-sam tailor to the stars. Shanghai Tang’s, a Hong Kong-based chain, makes both ready-to-wear cheung-sams and also does custom work in its Imperial Tailors division, which has served Oprah Winfrey, Mira Sorvino, Lauryn Hill and other celebrities.

Shanghai prices are a bit steeper than Chinatown’s. A ready to wear ankle-length velvet dress will set you back about $500 and a custom made dress starts at about $1,000 and rises depending on fabric and details. But the tailors at Shanghai Tang’s hand-stitch all custom designs using traditional methods, and the fabric choices are a bit funkier than in most Chinatown shops: hot pinks and florescent purples, lime green and striped jacquards. Each dress requires at least two fittings and most orders take between two to six weeks to fill. Ready-to-wear dresses also can be nipped and tucked wherever necessary. “It’s such a fitted style that you usually have to do at least a little adjustment,” says Wong.

Shanghai Tang’s also offers Chinese-style jackets for men. The most popular style, says Wong, is the mandarin-collared “Tang jacket,” available in off-the-rack and custom-made versions. (She notes that stars Wesley Snipes, Kevin Costner and Jeremy Irons are among proud jacket owners.) A favorite style, she says, is a black velvet jacket lined with flourescent silk that goes for about $460.

A custom-made jacket costs $1,000 and up, Wong says. “We also do full suits, but most men like to wear it with tuxedo pants or our ready-to-wear silk pants.”

The Shanghai Tang boutique will soon move to an uptown location, but is still open for business by appointment. For more information, call 1-888-252-TANG.