Iconic dress will take top billing in Milan
Print Edition
FIVE hundred Chinese and Italian people will don traditional qipao dresses this weekend for a series of special events at the Milan Expo 2015.
The shows at the China Pavilion and China Corporate United Pavilion will be followed by a one-day exhibition in Florence, according to the Shanghai Qipao Culture Promotion Association, a nonprofit organization.
The qipao, a body-hugging one-piece dress also known as a “mandarin gown” in English, has enjoyed a revival since being given “intangible cultural heritage” status in 2009.
The dresses were first worn by women under Manchu rule during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), although that version was looser fitting than its successors.
What came to be known the Shanghai-style of qipao was created in the 1920s, tailored to be more revealing in following body curves. It was the height of fashion for socialites and women of the upper class.
“We wanted to take the Shanghai-style qipao to the Milan expo after hearing that the event would include a Shanghai Week,” said Zhang Lili, president of the local association.
“What better way to show Shanghai culture than with this iconic fashion?” she said.
Keeping tradition alive
Zhang told Shanghai Daily that the organization has grown from 92 members in October to more than 300 now. It has attracted women from all walks of life, including entrepreneurs, engineers, lawyers, retirees, performers and students.
“Our success shows that the qipao and what it stands for are still alive,” she said.
“When women wear this special dress, they feel elegant, confident, slim and healthy.”
The people participating in the Milan show include 370 women from Shanghai, 100 overseas Chinese and 30 Italians. Among them are 12 girls aged 5 and 6, and 40 members of a cancer rehabilitation group.
The children in the show are from the Shanghai Municipal Kindergarten.
One of their teachers, Wang Jun, told Shanghai Daily that the school likes to promote cultural education and sponsors an annual qipao show for its children.
The appearance in Milan will be multifaceted. It will include a fashion show, Chinese songs, cultural activities and a display of how a qipao dress is made.
There will also be a “flash mob” event involving scores of women wearing qipao and walking into a public area.
The qipao isn’t often seen on the streets of Shanghai anymore, but it is making a comeback at functions.
Hou Yan, 50, vice president of the Baoshan District Industry and Commerce Association, said she has more than 20 qipao at home and likes to wear them on special occasions.
“Wearing the qipao now and again reminds me how nice it is to be feminine and graceful,” she said.
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