Look of the Week: Megan Thee Stallion's Gold Gala dress is a daring take on the qipao

CNN

12-05-2025

Megan Thee Stallion is no stranger to taking risks on the red carpet – from the sparkly Y2K-reminiscent dress she wore to the 'Mean Girls' musical movie premiere in 2024, to the wave-like, body-hugging gown by Indian fashion designer Gaurav Gupta she opted for at the 2022 Oscars, to her three-tiered hairstyle at the Met Gala just last week, which channeled Black performer Josephine Baker.
Saturday's Gold Gala was no exception. The American rapper arrived at the Music Center in Los Angeles in a dramatic creation by New York-based fashion brand Quine Li. The look wove aspects of the traditional Chinese qipao, or cheongsam, such as the mandarin collar and a floral pattern, with unexpected flourishes – soft, puffy sculptures encircling the bust and hip, black lace and a thigh high slit. Megan received the One House Honor at the annual event put on by non-profit Gold House – a celebration of Asian Pacific talent across entertainment, fashion, technology and more – for her support of the AAPI community through creative collaborations.
'I was so excited because I wasn't 100% sure that she would wear it,' the brand's 32-year-old founder Kuai Li told CNN in a phone interview, of seeing the star appear in her creation. 'Normally (stylists) have backups – so I was so happy to see this come true,' she said, adding that she had less than a month to design it.
The Chinese-born designer said the brief was to create a look that could be modern, reference Asian design and reflect Megan's personality. The result was a sculptural qipao that had a sci-fi slant, as two curved rings framed Megan's midriff — almost-exposed if not for the thin weft of lace — like the dress had been run through an X-ray machine. She used fabric from her recent collection of Swallowtail Butterfly qipaos and combined it with the geometric expressions seen throughout her relatively short, but budding career (celebrities such as Kylie Jenner, Michelle Yeoh and Julia Fox have already worn her garments for campaigns and magazine covers).
In her wider portfolio, designer Li says she fuses her background in industrial design and fashion, 'obsession' with architecture and 1980s 'vintage vibes' to create futuristic looks.
The qipao traces its origins to robes worn by Manchu nobility during the Qing dynasty, but the garment rose in popularity and the figure-flattering silhouette we know today is largely thanks to Shanghai tailors and the city's glamorous nightlife in the 1930s. In recent decades, both luxury and fast fashion Western brands have been accused of appropriating the garment, while people of non-Asian descent wearing versions of it have either faced criticism for cultural appropriation, while others have argued it's acceptable and celebrates Chinese culture.
Li said while fashion designers should be aware of cultural appropriation she saw this as 'a great opportunity to feel proud of Asian culture, especially in America,' and wanting 'to try something very bold, (that would be a form of) cultural appreciation as well.'
Many celebrities at the Gold Gala also wore looks by Asian designers or incorporated elements nodding to their cultural heritage. Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey wore a silver gown by Huishan Zhang, while 'White Lotus' breakout star Tayme Thapthimthong accessorized his suit wearing a maroon sash with gold embellishments from Thai boutique The Phukaw.
On accepting her award, Megan told the audience, 'My respect and appreciation for the Asian Pacific culture extends far beyond music, and into other areas like fashion, cuisine and of course anime,' adding that she looked forward to visiting more places in Asia and working on future collaborations with the community.
'Wicked' and 'Crazy Rich Asians' director Jon M. Chu also took to the stage to accept the Gold Legend award and in a speech said, 'We're not just guests at the table anymore. We built the damn house, and guess what? It's made of gold, and we've got more work to do.'
'I'm ready, if you all are.'