A Breath of New Life

Beloved designer Vivienne Tam explains how she is revolutionising Chinese bridalwear with a sustainable mindset and why the power of tradition is still captivating

By Cherry Mui

Vivienne Tam, the queen of east-meets-west fashion, has experienced many firsts in her celebrated career. In 2024, she added two more: making her Paris Fashion Week debut in celebration of her namesake brand’s 30th anniversary and launching its inaugural Chinese bridalwear collection. Unveiled during the autumn-winter 2024 show in Paris and later showcased at Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong, the collection is a stunning testament to the power of love, culture and sustainability. At its heart is the kwan kwa or qun gua, a traditional Chinese wedding gown—a usually red, two-piece jacket and skirt combo adorned with embroidered auspicious patterns and motifs, which has remained largely unchanged for generations. “The Chinese wedding dress has remained unchanged for ages—since I was little,” Tam tells Tatler. “I’ve always wanted to transform it…

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Tatler Hong Kong (Digital) - 1 Issue, January 2025

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