A mother turned costume-maker

A Shanghai full-time mother has made more than 40 pieces of traditional costumes for her daughter in three years.

A resident of Jiaxiu community, Jiading district, Zhao Yonghui, who is in her early 40s, said that the idea of making traditional costumes started three years ago when her daughter required one for a kindergarten event.

Unsatisfied with the clothes available online, Zhao, who previously studied fine arts, came up with the idea of designing and making the costumes herself.

After making her first dress, Zhao bought books, visited a clothing museum, watch video tutorials and even consulted professional tailors so that she could make more professional-looking costumes.

Today, she can craft nearly any type of Chinese traditional costume, including Hanfu dresses, cheongsams and the coat skirt from the late Qing Dynasty (1644 -1911).

Her talent has also attracted people to learn costume-making from her. A WeChat group set up for this purpose currently has about 150 people.