- Mr Lau On Hing the qipao maker in his workshop in Lan Kwai Fong in the heart of Hong Kong island.
- When Mr Lau makes a qipao with a double lining, it must be glued and then stitched together.
- Mr Lau shows one of his latest creation: a qipao made of silk and French lace from Calais.
- Mr Lau also makes jackets like this one made on Italian silk.
In the high-speed world that is China today, we at Nicely Made in China (NMiC) find it reassuring to discover that some things don’t change! NMiC recently met with Mr Lau, a qipao or cheongsam tailor, in his workshop in Hong Kong. A sprightly sexagenarian with a mischievous smile, he has for 50 years been hand-making exquisite qipao – a form of traditional Chinese dress. Originally from Shanghai, he came to Hong Kong aged 14 to learn the craft and is now one of the last remaining ‘Shanghai tailors’, as they’re known in Hong Kong, still working today. Read the rest of this entry »