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Last Update: August, 29, 2006

Fashion Feels Eastern Touch

The Eastern Inspiration has been introduced in the world of fashion for several years especially Chinese traditional, which it has given many western designer a new inspiration to come with classic and unique style of fashion design. In many western designer boutiques, oriental flair is reflected in high necklines and flowing waistlines based on the Chinese qipao of the Qing Dynasty.

Nowadys, traditional Chinese clothes have evolved along with modern women's expectations to become integrated into their daily lifestyles.

In Beijing, varieties are so profuse that you can dress yourself in any number of genuine fashionable "China Looks." Selections can vary from traditional styles to modern flair kinds of design.

The Youngest and Most Creative : Bing Bing Creationp59_1.jpg (10094 bytes)

The newest and most creative boutique in Beijing opened in October. The owner is the young and talented Ms Yan, who has come up with many fresh new looks in her designs. She has proved her talented to customers including actresses, singers, and ambassadors" wives. They went to see her for tailor-made items. She considered as personal styles and be able to meet the demands of special occasions inorder to design an exclusive individual look. You can feel her creativity, while you come to her boutique.

Address: 15, Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang District,

The Oldest and Most Experienced: Cao Shi Fu Qipao Shop

After 60 years of making qipao, Cao Senlin is the most experienced "shi fu" in Beijing. If you also want to have a hutong visit, Cao's current work place is inside a tiny old house in a hutong near Dongdan. He done his work entirely by hand, so a qipao takes him a month to finish. Cao says he enjoys it because many foreign friends have bought his qipao and brought it back to their countries so the qipao can expressed and promoted Chinese culture in foreign countries indirectly.

Address: 25, Shi Jia Hutong, Dongsi Nan Dajie

Other Shops:

Muzhenliao Shop

This shop has a great variety of materials in different fabrics, colors and varieties style to choose. New products will appear on monthly show.

Address: Dondan Shopping Center, Dongsi; Vantone New World, Shuang'an Department Store and Sun Dong"an Shopping Center

Yang Chengui Qipao Store

Yang Chengui is a Taiwanese designer who emphasizes the cut of your qipao. He will measure 24 parts of your body to maximize the effect of the qipao in showing off your figure.

Address: 2/F One World Shopping Arcade

Hua Die

Hua Die' cut is more to western style. However, you will find the design mixes traditional and modern.

Address: Basement of China World Shopping Arcade, 2/F, Sanyou Market

The upper floor of the Beijing Art and Craft Store (Beijing Gong Yi Mei Shu Da Sha) has a lot of blue printed fabric products in very comfortable and casual styles.

Basically, to make a quality qipao, it is important to know the following:

Material

If you enjoy shopping for materials, you may want to find the fabric that you like it before you go for tailor. The top floor of Lufthansa Center is a popular and good place to shop cloth material.

The biggest store is at the west of the south gate of the Temple of Heaven. The Yuanglong Silk Store has a wide variety of silk fabrics and products both old and new, traditional and modern. Rui Fu Xiang is the oldest city of silk store, which located in the old commercial area south of Qianmen near by Beijing Silk Store. Beijing Silk Store is another good place to shop.

In choosing the fabric, consider the occasion that you are planning for. Fabrics, such as brocade or satin suitable for formal evening dress, but for daily wear you can consider silk, pongee, or tussah.

Tailor

There are tailors in all the shops in mentioned above. To brief your tailor well, you can try some styles or show him some samples if you have them. A good tailor can make dimensional effects to shape your figure. Mr Cao says the most difficult part of making a qipao is sewing the seams and outside edges. p58_1.jpg (12979 bytes)

Hand-making the buttons is also very time consuming.

Style vs Occasion

Depends on your personal preference. The occasion and your figure may be the top points for consideration.

Color

Generally for qipao, bright colors such as peony, blue, and golden red can create wonderful effects. However, some western-style evening qipao in black is also work well.

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