The cheongsam is a garment that brings out a woman’s elegance and grace, but is also famously unforgiving on less-than-perfect figures and confining to wear because of its form-fitting shape.
And while the traditional version of the dress is no longer widely worn these days, modern interpretations of the cheongsam have found favour with women in Singapore, reinvented by a number of local brands who are giving it contemporary appeal and their own unique creative take.
The Missing Piece is one of them and it has become synonymous with the dress style – ask any fashionista where you can find a nice cheongsam-inspired outfit, and you’re certain to be given its name.
But, despite putting her brand on the map with her cheongsam styles, founder Fock Ee-ling revealed to CNA Lifestyle that she didn’t set out to specialise in them when she started the business in 2016.
Ee-ling with her sons. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
“My focus was more on matching apparel sets for the whole family, not on the cheongsam per se, (although it was part of the collections she initially produced). Back then, there weren’t many brands that were doing coordinated clothing for the family. About a year after, I decided to focus on womenswear as that’s where my strengths lie,” she said.
Besides designing, Fock is skilled in sewing. Her career and educational background are, however, in medicine – which is surprising to those who had assumed she had some prior training in fashion.
A PERSONAL INTEREST THAT GREW INTO A BUSINESS
For Fock, making clothes was a hobby – or it began as one, at least. “I picked up sewing while completing my PhD in medical research in Australia. In between long days in the lab and writing up my thesis, I loved to shop for fabric and make my own clothes," she shared.
"When I became a young mother, I began making pieces for my three children and myself, and soon, what started as a creative outlet from being a full-time stay-at-home mum, organically grew into The Missing Piece."
A design from The Missing Piece. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
More specifically, she had wanted to make coordinating Chinese New Year outfits for herself and her family. “I started designing cheongsams for myself and my daughter, and then matching mandarin-collar shirts for my boys and hubby,” said Fock.
She also pointed out that there weren’t many modern options in the market back then. “If there were any, they were also more suited for petite girls with perfect figures. To fit my mummy body, I had to make my own,” she continued.
This partly explains the popularity of The Missing Piece’s cheongsam-inspired styles, which are known to flatter figures, whether one is a size XS or L and above. Fock feels it’s a common myth to think that cheongsams are “challenging” to wear and that a well-designed piece can allow one to feel beautiful and confident in it.
A modern cheongsam from The Missing Piece. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
“When cut well and in more forgiving, relaxed silhouettes, the cheongsam can highlight all the best parts of a woman while hiding all the bits one doesn’t want to show," she shared. "In fact, I can’t tell you the number of times we have had larger women come in, fall in love with our cuts and walk out with multiple pieces that they never thought they could wear. We have a loyal following of plus-size ladies of up to a size UK20, who now fill their wardrobe with our pieces."
FUSING TRADITIONAL AND MODERN DESIGN
She also noted that more women today, including youths, are embracing cheongsam styles, as well as their cultural identity. Many of her customers are not just looking for a cheongsam to wear during the Chinese New Year festivities, their wedding or a special occasion, but for everyday wear and even work.
A modern cheongsam from The Missing Piece. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
“The reality though is that, in order for more people to wear them more often, they need to fit in with the wearers’ daily lives and be comfortable to move, live and work in, especially in a tropical climate like Singapore’s,” Fock said. She modernises her oriental looks by translating them to more casual or versatile designs, or by using fresh, appealing colours, patterns or fabrics.
You’ll also notice how heritage details like the mandarin collar, batik fabric or intricate embroidery make frequent appearances on the brand’s designs, but are also paired with modern elements, like cut-outs, which are used on unexpected styles like a jumpsuit or a tiered maxi dress.
When designing, Fock thinks about her own wants and needs, which are similar to those of her target customers.
“I consider the wearability of a garment, be it the cut, fit and the little details that would make sense for a busy multi-hyphenate woman. I love dressing real women and we want them to not only look stylish and have their clothes work for them in multiple ways, but also be completely comfortable in them,” she said.
Ee-ling is wearing a The Missing Piece design. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
“My designs must reflect all this. Sometimes, this means just one simple thing, like including pockets or making pieces that can be dressed up or down, and worn day or night. But, sometimes, practicality and versatility can be central to the entire design," she said.
"For instance, we might make the garment convertible, so it can go from a dress to a top with a few clever ‘unfastenings’, or allow you to alter your neckline or skirt length… or we might look at how to make a tailored jumpsuit that allows women to look good, run after children and also go to the bathroom easily."
APPEALING TO A WIDER GROUP
As a self-taught designer, Fock adopts an intuitive approach when conceptualising her creations, which has served her well. “I come from a family of artists and architects, so I guess that I always had a creative streak and an eye for design. My designs come very much from my own personal experiences, my cultural heritage and feminine sensitivity,” she said.
TV presenter Audra Morrice wearing The Missing Piece. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
She is happy to see that the brand now draws customers of all ages and tastes. “One of my greatest joys is being able to serve multiple generations of customers. In the beginning, our customers were mostly mothers in their 30s, but now we also have more young working professionals, as well as older women in their 50s and 60s," she said.
"Each generation has different priorities. For instance, older customers often like timeless, elegant designs, which are flattering and elegant, yet still age-appropriate. Younger customers might like clothes which are more versatile and allow movement, yet look fresh and fashionable."
While Chinese New Year is the most appropriate time to don a cheongsam, but Fock wants every woman to know that it definitely doesn’t have to stay in their closet for the rest of the year.
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And while the traditional version of the dress is no longer widely worn these days, modern interpretations of the cheongsam have found favour with women in Singapore, reinvented by a number of local brands who are giving it contemporary appeal and their own unique creative take.
The Missing Piece is one of them and it has become synonymous with the dress style – ask any fashionista where you can find a nice cheongsam-inspired outfit, and you’re certain to be given its name.
But, despite putting her brand on the map with her cheongsam styles, founder Fock Ee-ling revealed to CNA Lifestyle that she didn’t set out to specialise in them when she started the business in 2016.
Ee-ling with her sons. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
“My focus was more on matching apparel sets for the whole family, not on the cheongsam per se, (although it was part of the collections she initially produced). Back then, there weren’t many brands that were doing coordinated clothing for the family. About a year after, I decided to focus on womenswear as that’s where my strengths lie,” she said.
Besides designing, Fock is skilled in sewing. Her career and educational background are, however, in medicine – which is surprising to those who had assumed she had some prior training in fashion.
Related:
A PERSONAL INTEREST THAT GREW INTO A BUSINESS
For Fock, making clothes was a hobby – or it began as one, at least. “I picked up sewing while completing my PhD in medical research in Australia. In between long days in the lab and writing up my thesis, I loved to shop for fabric and make my own clothes," she shared.
"When I became a young mother, I began making pieces for my three children and myself, and soon, what started as a creative outlet from being a full-time stay-at-home mum, organically grew into The Missing Piece."
A design from The Missing Piece. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
More specifically, she had wanted to make coordinating Chinese New Year outfits for herself and her family. “I started designing cheongsams for myself and my daughter, and then matching mandarin-collar shirts for my boys and hubby,” said Fock.
She also pointed out that there weren’t many modern options in the market back then. “If there were any, they were also more suited for petite girls with perfect figures. To fit my mummy body, I had to make my own,” she continued.
This partly explains the popularity of The Missing Piece’s cheongsam-inspired styles, which are known to flatter figures, whether one is a size XS or L and above. Fock feels it’s a common myth to think that cheongsams are “challenging” to wear and that a well-designed piece can allow one to feel beautiful and confident in it.
A modern cheongsam from The Missing Piece. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
“When cut well and in more forgiving, relaxed silhouettes, the cheongsam can highlight all the best parts of a woman while hiding all the bits one doesn’t want to show," she shared. "In fact, I can’t tell you the number of times we have had larger women come in, fall in love with our cuts and walk out with multiple pieces that they never thought they could wear. We have a loyal following of plus-size ladies of up to a size UK20, who now fill their wardrobe with our pieces."
Related:
FUSING TRADITIONAL AND MODERN DESIGN
She also noted that more women today, including youths, are embracing cheongsam styles, as well as their cultural identity. Many of her customers are not just looking for a cheongsam to wear during the Chinese New Year festivities, their wedding or a special occasion, but for everyday wear and even work.
A modern cheongsam from The Missing Piece. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
“The reality though is that, in order for more people to wear them more often, they need to fit in with the wearers’ daily lives and be comfortable to move, live and work in, especially in a tropical climate like Singapore’s,” Fock said. She modernises her oriental looks by translating them to more casual or versatile designs, or by using fresh, appealing colours, patterns or fabrics.
You’ll also notice how heritage details like the mandarin collar, batik fabric or intricate embroidery make frequent appearances on the brand’s designs, but are also paired with modern elements, like cut-outs, which are used on unexpected styles like a jumpsuit or a tiered maxi dress.
When designing, Fock thinks about her own wants and needs, which are similar to those of her target customers.
“I consider the wearability of a garment, be it the cut, fit and the little details that would make sense for a busy multi-hyphenate woman. I love dressing real women and we want them to not only look stylish and have their clothes work for them in multiple ways, but also be completely comfortable in them,” she said.
Ee-ling is wearing a The Missing Piece design. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
“My designs must reflect all this. Sometimes, this means just one simple thing, like including pockets or making pieces that can be dressed up or down, and worn day or night. But, sometimes, practicality and versatility can be central to the entire design," she said.
"For instance, we might make the garment convertible, so it can go from a dress to a top with a few clever ‘unfastenings’, or allow you to alter your neckline or skirt length… or we might look at how to make a tailored jumpsuit that allows women to look good, run after children and also go to the bathroom easily."
APPEALING TO A WIDER GROUP
As a self-taught designer, Fock adopts an intuitive approach when conceptualising her creations, which has served her well. “I come from a family of artists and architects, so I guess that I always had a creative streak and an eye for design. My designs come very much from my own personal experiences, my cultural heritage and feminine sensitivity,” she said.
TV presenter Audra Morrice wearing The Missing Piece. (Photo: The Missing Piece)
She is happy to see that the brand now draws customers of all ages and tastes. “One of my greatest joys is being able to serve multiple generations of customers. In the beginning, our customers were mostly mothers in their 30s, but now we also have more young working professionals, as well as older women in their 50s and 60s," she said.
"Each generation has different priorities. For instance, older customers often like timeless, elegant designs, which are flattering and elegant, yet still age-appropriate. Younger customers might like clothes which are more versatile and allow movement, yet look fresh and fashionable."
While Chinese New Year is the most appropriate time to don a cheongsam, but Fock wants every woman to know that it definitely doesn’t have to stay in their closet for the rest of the year.
Continue reading...