It has testified to historical epochs, set stylistic standards and helped define a nation.
A quintessentially Chinese costume, which embodies a unique culture's sartorial finesse, the qipao was once the perfect example of haute couture - and remains perennially in vogue as a traditional fashion item.
As times changed, so did the qipao (known as cheongsam, or 'long clothing', in Hong Kong), with the costume conforming to latest fashions and setting them.
A fascinating new exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of History pays homage to the evolution of the long single-piece costume, from a loose-fitting 17th century Qing dynasty outfit into a body-hugging modern dress with its myriad of stylistic incarnations.
Entitled 'The Evergreen Classic: Transformation of the Qipao', the exhibition - jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Polytechnic University's Institute of Textiles and Clothing, in association with the Hong Kong Heritage Museum - showcases 280 dresses, 400 contemporary photographs, and nine multimedia programmes.
The exhibits trace the cultural trajectory of the qipao (literally: 'one-piece gown of the Banner people') as a late-medieval Manchu gown tailored to suit a nomadic hunting lifestyle into a lavish modern dress worn by well-heeled society ladies.