Revealed: the subtle meaning behind Carrie Lam’s outfit at swearing-in as Hong Kong leader

Designer Barney Cheng says the four layers of fabric symbolise the multicultural city and chief executive’s desire to serve all sectors

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A resplendent Carrie Lam shakes hands with President Xi Jinping after being sworn in as chief executive. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:33am, 4 Jul 2017Updated: 10:40am, 4 Jul 2017

While Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was being lauded for her striking cheongsam during her inauguration on Saturday, few will have been aware of the deeper meaning and blessing it conveyed.

Designer Barney Cheng Siu-leung said the dusty pink outfit and long white coat, made of four layers of different fabric including lace and chiffon, signified multicultural Hong Kong and Lam’s desire to accommodate the interests of all sectors in the city.

Barney Cheng explains the philosophy behind the cheongsam he made for Carrie Lam. Photo: Dickson Lee

“The pearl button on the mandarin collar symbolises Hong Kong as it is known as the pearl of the orient. With a mix and match of different soft layers forming a harmonious picture, I hope to convey a message that different classes can live in harmony with each other,” he told the Post on Monday.

After the outfit won admiring glances as she was sworn in as chief executive, Lam revealed how much she loved traditional Chinese dresses on her official Facebook page the next day, with photos showing her in numerous outfits during the visit by President Xi Jinping.

She explained that the pink cheongsam was the only new, tailor-made dress she had worn over the three days and that she had bought the others long ago.