Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love, and the cheongsams worn by Maggie Cheung in the film, is still inspiring fashion 20 years on
The costumes designed by William Chang stole the show when the movie was released in 2000 and it remains a source of inspiration for designers
Glamorous red-carpet events may be cancelled for the foreseeable future, but old movies can provide some fashion inspiration – not to mention much-needed escapism from all the grim news.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of In the Mood for Love, Hong Kong’s most celebrated film, at least in fashion circles. Countless designers have cited the movie’s depiction of 1960s Hong Kong as fodder for their collections, and one of the film’s tracks – Shigeru Umebayashi’s Yumeji’s Theme – has been played at numerous runway shows, including Valentino’s autumn/winter 2020 outing in Paris recently.
The intense colours of 1962 Hong Kong recreated by Wong and Doyle complement the vibrant patterns and hues of the cheongsams that costume designer William Chang Suk-ping used for the film, after finding inspiration in movies from the 1950s and 60s.
In what is arguably Cheung’s most famous performance, the actress exudes restrained elegance and poise throughout the film, letting her quiet gestures, impeccable outfits, teased hairdo and flawless make-up do the talking.
