How has the cheongsam fared in the 21st century? Malaysian designers weigh in

The cheongsam is certainly versatile, and we have fashion designers here in Malaysia showing that the traditional attire can be fun and trendy – while still keeping its timeless silhouette. Photo: Innai Red

Think of the cheongsam (also known as qipao) and Wong Kar-Wai’s romantic masterpiece In The Mood For Love would probably come to mind. It brought about a revival of the traditional attire among millennials – at least, to some degree.

The year 2000 film features a bevy of gorgeous cheongsams, worn by lead actress Maggie Cheung. They may be just costumes (totalling more than 20 different pieces), but each one helped in making the scenes stand out visually.