Escaping urban hustle with stitches: Qipao studio owner's life in suburban Shanghai

Wang Ying waters plants at the courtyard of her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025.

In Xiangdong Village, there is a unique little courtyard, lush with greenery and blooming flowers, adorned with exquisite Qipao, a traditional dress of Chinese women. Four years ago, Wang Ying resigned from her white-collar job in downtown Shanghai and founded the Qipao studio in the small courtyard. Now she works with two like-minded young women, creating handmade Qipao dresses and offering sewing classes.

Wang has had a passion for handicrafts since childhood. After giving birth to her daughter, she became enamored with fashion design and started making clothes for her child. Over the years, through extensive learning and practice, her skills have significantly improved. Her deep affection for Qipao and yearning for an idyllic lifestyle led her to leave her stable job, rent a small courtyard in the countryside, and embark on her entrepreneurial journey.

The Qipao dresses she designs feature traditional flat cross-cutting methods. She incorporates her understanding of beauty and inspiration into every stitch, reflected in the designs of collars, hems, and Chinese buttons.

In recent years, there has been a growing number of enthusiasts for handmade Qipao dresses and Chinese garments, and Wang's studio has gained increasing recognition. The simple and pleasant lifestyle shared by Wang and her partners has also garnered attention and appreciation on social media platforms.

"Qipao is more than just a garment. It represents a cultural inheritance. For me, making Qipao is not merely a hobby, but a dream and a way of life that I aspire to pursue," said Wang. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying shows a Qipao dress she made at her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying (R) introduces a Qipao dress she made to a customer at her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying makes Qipao dresses at her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying shows handmade button fasteners inspired by the plants and animals in the courtyard of her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying (L) and her coworkers pose for a photo in the courtyard of her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying stands in the courtyard of her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying is pictured at her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying displays a Qipao dress in the courtyard of her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying (L) instructs a learner at her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

Wang Ying (C) livestreams her sewing class at her studio in Xiangdong Village of Pudong, east China's Shanghai, April 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)