Digitalized intangible cultural heritage preservation – reinventing the design practice of Hong Kong men’s cheongsam

Hong Kong Cheongsam Making Technique is an important and critically endangered intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Hong Kong. Its high-standing cultural value and essentiality of urgent preservation have been authenticated by the progressive inscriptions of the regional and national representative list of ICH. However, the current inheritance based on the conventional practice, especially that of men’s cheongsam, is considered ineffective. A practice reinvention is therefore needed. Digitalization and computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technologies provide a feasible approach to reinvent the practice. This practice-led constructive design research aims to translate the implicit knowledge of the veteran tailors into systematic formulas and algorithms through a triangulated and reflective study. The key determining entity and reliance in the traditional practice can be prospectively transferred from the retiring tailors to the lasting systems and data archives for a more sustaining preservation. This paper reports on the research plan and current progress of the project.