New blood and old masters keep craft of qipao dressmaking alive
At modest workshops in Taipei where the classic figure-hugging dresses are made, craftsmen pass on their skills one stitch at a time
In a quiet workshop in Taipei, three young women meticulously sew and iron under the watchful eye of a master dressmaker with decades of experience in creating the classic qipao.
Lin Chin-te, 74, is among a handful of craftsmen in Taiwan who still specialise in handmaking the high-collar, figure-hugging garment which was once part of many women’s daily wardrobes.
His workshop is hung with dresses, from elaborate long embroidered red silk qipao to shorter length versions in more wearable materials.
Seen as increasingly impractical and pricier than off-the-peg versions, the tailor-made qipao is now mostly worn at weddings and special events.
Lin worries dressmakers will no longer learn his skills and takes on apprentices to pass down his know-how.
