Phoenix rising: return of the slinky dress
Cultural heritage defines our journey from past to present. The rituals and art forms developed by ancestors to entertain and express themselves tend to be obscured by the hurly-burly of modern urban life. Shanghai is trying to rediscover, revive and preserve the ethos of traditional music, folk arts, festivals, food and finely crafted artifacts that shape the soul of who we are today. We explore that realm in this series. embroidered patterns requires at least 9,000 stitches. “It’s like woman’s second skin, so it has to perfectly fit the body,” Jiao says. “At the same time, the dress has to be comfortable to wear.”
Normally, it takes him about three to four days to complete a dress. One with more complicated patterns can take up to a week or longer.
Jiao’s patrons are brides and their mothers, wealthy ladies, political leaders and celebrities.
is increasingly popular in recent years, and our business is thriving,” he says.
The tailor remembers the pivotal moments of the renaissance. It started with the Hong Kong movie “In the Mood for Love,” starring Maggie Cheung, who wore more than 20 stunning Shanghaistyle Then there was the 2001 APEC meeting when 20 heads of state appeared in traditional Chinese jackets or dresses.
Although Long Feng is widely known for its the business also makes and sells other traditional Chinese garments.
Long Feng’s precursor was Zhu Shunxing Chinese Fashion Store, established in 1936. Its first heir and tailor Zhu Linqing began making the Shanghai-style
After 1949 when the People’s Republic of China was founded and public-private joint management was encouraged, Zhu Shunxing merged with three other stores to create Long Feng on Nanjing Road W.
The business was relocated under urban redevelopment to its present site on a street housing several other venerable old Shanghai brands.
“Of all traditional Chinese clothing, only the can compete with Western fashion,” says Gao Peijing, assistant general manager, who has been working in Long Feng for about 10 years. “Long Feng has become the Shanghai-grown luxury fashion brand.”