Chasing the Dragon: China in the Western Imagination

This exhibit attempts to move beyond the poles of authentic and inauthentic garments. The objects on display represent the original garments produced in China, the Euro-American fashions inspired by them, and styles made in Hong Kong, Manila, and Honolulu that reflect the cultural fusion that occurs with global trade. This exhibition deliberately de-centers the traditional Euro-American fashion chronicle in favor of multiple fashion narratives and encourages audiences to consider the Chinese origins of these historical garments.