V&A
Navy Blue Cut Silk Velvet Chinese Robe
Fin de Siecle / Gibson Girl · 1900s-1950s · Chinese
Production
handmade
Material
cut silk velvet on satin weave
Culture
Chinese
Influences
traditional Chinese robe construction · Qing dynasty formal wear
A traditional Chinese men's robe featuring a straight-cut silhouette with wide, flowing sleeves that extend horizontally when laid flat. The garment is constructed from navy blue silk with a satin weave ground, decorated with cut velvet circular motifs arranged in regular rows across the entire surface. The robe reaches full length and displays the characteristic T-shaped construction of Chinese robes, with minimal tailoring that allows the fabric to drape naturally from the shoulders. The velvet pile creates subtle textural contrast against the smooth satin ground, with the circular motifs appearing as darker navy or black elements. This represents the continuation of traditional Chinese formal menswear during the Republican period.
coatstraighthigh neckfloor length
Connected To
Influences·traditional Chinese robe construction
SHARED55 years · cross-culture · cross-category
The navy velvet robe's loose, T-shaped silhouette with its wide sleeves and scattered circular motifs speaks the ancient language of Chinese court dress, while the fitted lavender qipao represents that same tradition's radical reinvention fifty years later.
Text
Echoes Across Time
Fin de Siecle / Gibson Girl → 1950s · 55yr66%
SHARED
The navy velvet robe's loose, T-shaped silhouette with its wide sleeves and scattered circular motifs speaks the ancient language of Chinese court dress, while the fitted lavender qipao represents that same tradition's radical reinvention fifty years later.
Influences·traditional Chinese robe construction
1950s → Fin de Siecle / Gibson Girl · 55yr44%
SHARED
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