Valery Garrett trained as a fashion designer in London before working in Hong Kong as the head of Fashion Design at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University for more than thirty years. From her early research into rural clothing worn in Hong Kong, she has become a respected authority on Chinese dress from the Qing dynasty to the present day. She lectures frequently at home and abroad, has served as a consultant for museums and collections around the world and has authored more than ten books on the subject, including Chinese Dragon Robes, Chinese Clothing: An Illustrated Guide and Traditional Chinese Clothing in Hong Kong and South China. Her personal collection of Chinese dress has been exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum as well as in museums in Hong Kong, Macau, Canada and Australia. She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong. Her website is www.valerygarrett.com