{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O483138"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O483138/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NA3368/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NA3368/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021NA3368","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA3369","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA3370","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA3371","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA3379","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA3372","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA3367","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019MK5635","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019MK5636","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019MK5637","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019MK5638","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021NA3366","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O483138","accessionNumber":"FE.66:1&2-1995","objectType":"Jacket&skirt","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"In China, bridal dress has always been the most elaborately decorated of attire, according to tradition, the bride was ‘empress of the day’. Weddings required garments of a specific colour, usually red, the common colour for all Chinese festive occasions. This ceremonial bridal ensemble, comprising a black jacket and pink pleated skirt, is in a style that was popular in the first half of the 20th century. Han Chinese girls did not generally wear skirts or wear their hair up until they reached adulthood. On her wedding day, a bride's skirt was an essential garment to mark this important transition in her life. \r\nA dragon and phoenix form the basis of the pattern, symbolising the male and female elements of the marriage, with the peonies representing beauty and prosperity. These elements are heavily couched in gold- and silver-wrapped threads, with tiny stitches of coloured silks holding the metallic threads in place. The bodies of the phoenix and the dragon are skilfully padded with cotton wadding to create a relief effect. The technique of raised embroidery is unique to Chaozhou, a city in eastern Guangdong province, and was traditionally used for embellishing bridal ensembles and theatre costumes. Both men and women were engaged in embroidery for both local goods and for export, particularly to parts of South-East Asia.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Bridal ensemble of satin-weave silk comprising of a jacket and a skirt. The jacket black with three-quarter sleeves and stiff collar. Covered with large sections of gold embroidery at the cuffs and hem and floral pattern all over. The skirt is floor length, pink in colour, with a pattern of flowers and dragons. At the hem, pink fringing. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk textile","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"metallic thread","id":"x30416"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidering","id":"AAT53653"},{"text":"satin-weave","id":"x37324"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Satin-weave silk; embroidery in silk and metallic threads","categories":[{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"},{"text":"Marriage","id":"THES48921"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2021NA3368","2021NA3369","2021NA3370","2021NA3371","2021NA3379","2021NA3372","2021NA3367","2019MK5635","2019MK5636","2019MK5637","2019MK5638","2021NA3366"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES394747"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES394747"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"jacket","id":""}],[{"text":"Skirt","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1930s","earliest":"1930-01-01","latest":"1939-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Supported by the Friends of the V&A","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"66","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"jacket"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"132","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"sleeve end to sleeve end","note":"jacket"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"collar","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Mrs Garrett's card read: Purchased 800 HKD (jacket and skirt). Macao","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Jacket and skirt, bridal ensemble (<i>qun gua</i>), satin-weave silk; embroidery in silk and metallic threads, China, 1930s","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["FE.66:1-1995","FE.66:2-1995"],"accessionNumberNum":"66","accessionNumberPrefix":"FE","accessionYear":1995,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","jacket","Skirt"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-30","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-25","availableToBook":false}}