Dresses to thrill
New details were added to the dress, such as the wide cuff with the bell-shaped sleeves. Art Deco elements were introduced to Chinese fashion in the 1920s, and Shanghai qipao, alongside architecture, furniture, daily utensils and book binding, became a unique branch of Art Deco, known as Shanghai Art Deco, Bao explained.
Zhang guided journalists through the exhibition, pointing out the changing collar designs, fine embroidery and various accessories.
Aside from the fine craftsmanship, she brought to attention how the weaving technology developed in the early 1900s, allowing new patterns and color combinations to appear on the fabrics of qipao.
A major breakthrough took place when Indanthrene, a new dye, was introduced to China by the German chemical company Bayer. The pigment gave fabrics a vivid blue color that could endure repeated washing and longtime wearing. "The introduction of Indanthrene dying is a bit like the creation of blue jeans," Zhang said, "it made qipao versatile for all social classes and adaptable for all kinds of circumstances."
