In 1996 Sally Ingleton produced and directed MAO’S NEW SUIT which tells the story of two young fashion designers trying to make it in China’s new market economy. The documentary was commissioned by Channel 4 in the UK and SBS in Australia. It was invited to numerous film festivals and won a few awards. The film was shot on 16mm and we recently restored the original work through digital enhancement at Blue Post in Melbourne. The difference is remarkable as the restoration copy is much sharper and the colours more vibrant. We also restored all the subtitles and captions.
The film was recently showcased by the Asian Film Archive in Singapore who screened the film as part of a season on Asian fashion.
One of the designers is Guo Pei who is now China’s most famous haute couture designer. Guo Pei has had several solo exhibitions of her creations at museums around the world including the current M+ Museum Hong Kong exhibition on until April 2025.
In addition Guo Pei has collaborated with Musee Quai Branly on a special exhibition on Golden Thread. The exhibition opened recently, and is on until 6 July 2025.
The documentary Mao’s New Suit is available to purchase via the website store.
