What do these flat, two dimensional, t-shirt looking designs have to do with Chinese fashion and qipao (cheongsams)? They reflect the way that Chinese clothes and the earliest qipaos were actually tailored! Their ingenious cut ensures that they will still fit you even if you grow or shrink a size or two over the years. Plus, they are easy to wear, fuss-free, and folds neatly flat for travel!

Come give them a try, and see why flat is good! Available from 13 Apr. 2018.

Do you recall seeing the Chinese emperors' imperial "dragon's robes" displayed at museums? They were tailored using this same flat cut. Darts were not used, as clothes were not meant to conform to the body. Old Chinese clothes also had no shoulder seams, so a continuous piece of fabric was used for the front and back of the garment. Because of this, they can be easily strung through a bamboo pole or clothes line! (And that's how they could display these pieces so neatly in the museums)

[Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art]

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