Shanghai crafts for Chinese New Year: Longfeng 'qipao'

The craftsmanship behind Longfeng qipao can be traced back to the early 1790s. By then, Shanghai had developed specialized "Su-Guang" tailoring workshops that combined garment-making techniques from Suzhou, Jiangsu province, and Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

In 1936, the first-generation inheritor of Longfeng qipao craftsmanship founded the Zhu Shunxing Chinese-style Garment Shop, applying these traditions to qipao making. The shop later merged with four others to form the Shanghai Longfeng Chinese-Style Garment Shop, inheriting the distinctive style of "Su-Guang".

Longfeng qipao is defined by careful fabric selection and precise hand stitching, using traditional techniques such as edging, inlay, piping, knotted button work, and embroidery. The atelier retains a fully handmade process, with handcrafted knotted buttons in floral and auspicious motifs as a signature feature. It is also the only establishment in Shanghai that maintains the traditional "front shop, back workshop" layout, with retail operations in the front and production carried out on-site behind the scenes.