"Revisit the styles of early-20th-century Shanghai, when the city was a hub for international investment. When the traditional Chinesse fashion style mixed with the European culture and has made the most glamorous and stylish of China in the last century. " Established in 1843 as a treaty port, Shanghai quickly became the largest international port in China by the early twentieth century, attracting expats and Westerners who called the city “Adventurers’ Paradise.” The aura of “Old Shanghai” was derived from the convergence of the Western influences and Chinese sensitivities: rich art deco architecture and designs flaunting an international flair, profusely illustrated tabloids disseminating the latest trends and celebrity gossips, and beautiful people indulging in their legendary, alas, complicated romances. But nothing embodied the Old Shanghai’s unique allure more than cheongsam. And in the world of global fashion, nothing represents the quintessential “Chinese Element” more than cheongsam, known as qipao in Mandarin, with many of its primary attributes, such as high collar, side slits and hour-glass body-conscious shape being equated with the Eastern mystique. In effect, for many Chinese ladies, cheongsam was the best way to pull off a professional look without looking macho. Ironically, despite its purported sexual appeal and association with exotic seductresses in the West, the popularity of qipao had something to do with the revolutionary history of the early twentieth century, the birth of “New Women” and related progressive causes. It embodied women’s liberation, intellectual independence and free spirits. http://www.sothebys.com/en/news-video/blogs/all-blogs/chinese-elements/2013/05/cheongsam-new-women-old-shanghai-glamour-moca.html See the results on http://salphotoworks.blogspot.co.id @salphotoworks

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