{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1498010"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1498010/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MH2515/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MH2515/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MH2515","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019MH2514","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019MH2517","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1498010/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1498010","accessionNumber":"FE.156:1, 2-2019","objectType":"Man's suit","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This man'suit was designed by Li Wei (b. 1959 in Heilongjiang), a Professor of Fashion Design at Tsinghua University in Beijing. It was part of her haute couture collection showcased at the Mercedes-Benz China Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2015 in Beijing in 2014. This silk suit was Li’s reinterpretation of the ‘Zhongshan suit’ named after the revolutionary Sun Zhongshan (1866-1925), President of the Republic of China for a brief period i 1912.\n\nDr Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan), generally referred to the Father of the Republic of modern China, introduced a functional, minimalist tunic suit as official dress for civil servants. The jacket has a fold-over collar and four flap-patch pockets said to symbolise the Four Virtues − propriety, justice, honesty and shame. \n\nThe Zhongshan suit became an iconic sartorial symbol of modern China, appealing to artists, designers and fashion trendsetters alike. Here, the Chinese-born designer Li Wei follows faithfully the original 1920s design, but replaces the usual woollen fabric with silk and then dyes it in an ombré shade of pale blue. All this contributes to create a relaxed and contemporary feel. \n\n","physicalDescription":"Blue silk man's suit, ombré shades of pale blue to white at trousers hem. \n\nThe jacket has a turn down collar, central front opening secured by a metal hook and eye and five plastic buttons, three cuff buttons on each sleeve. It has four patch pockets, each closes with a buttoned-down flap.\n\nThe trousers have a waistband, front zip, two side pockets and two back pockets; lined with white silk.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Li, Wei","id":"AUTH352854"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Plain weave silk, dip-dyed indigo","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Men's clothes","id":"THES49043"},{"text":"Politics","id":"THES48908"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2019MH2515","2019MH2514","2019MH2517"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES404754"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES404754"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Man's jacket","id":""}],[{"text":"Man's trousers","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Beijing","id":"x32780"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2014","earliest":"2014-01-01","latest":"2014-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Li Wei","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"77","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"nape to hem","note":"jacket"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"63","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sleeve","note":"jacket"},{"dimension":"Length","value":"107","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"waistband to hem","note":"trousers"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This man's suit was part of Li Wei's haute couture collection showcased during the Mercedes-Benz China Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2015 at 751D Park on November 1, 2014 in Beijing. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Man's suit including a jacket and a pair of trousers, plain weave silk, dip-dyed indigo, haute couture series Spring/Summer 2015, designed by Li Wei, made in Beijing, China, 2014","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Spring/Summer 2015","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"<b>Stop 5: Suit by Li Wei, 2014</b><b>\r\n</b>Map link: China, Room 44, Level 0 \r\n[Images]\r\nSuit, designed by Li Wei, 2014, Beijing, China. Museum no. FE.156:1, 2-2019. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London\r\nThis ensemble was part of the collection Li Wei presented at Mercedes-Benz China Fashion Week spring/summer 2015. Li reinterpreted the ‘Zhongshan suit’, named after revolutionary leader Sun Zhongshan and later known in Britain as the ‘Mao suit’ in reference to Mao Zedong. Traditionally associated with political figures, Li softened the suit's rigid form by using lightweight, ombré-dyed silk, symbolising transformation. She was among the first generation of fashion designers trained in China, studying at the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts (now part of Tsinghua University), the first art college in China to offer a fashion design programme from 1980. Alongside her successful design career, Li later became a Professor of Fashion Design at Tsinghua University.\r\n\r\nV&amp;A trail: Contemporary fashion (May to November 2025), a trail webpage for objects displayed at V&amp;A South Kensington (https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/va-trail-fashion)","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["FE.156:1-2019","FE.156:2-2019"],"accessionNumberNum":"156","accessionNumberPrefix":"FE","accessionYear":2019,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-11","recordCreationDate":"2019-05-31","availableToBook":false}}