This exhibition presents the research outcomes from Prof. Gong Jianpei on Shanghai Qipao in Republic of China from the aspects of sociology, technology, iconology and narratology. A collection of original Qipaos, accessories, documents, as well as the replicated patterns of Qipao fabrics based on old calendar posters and photographs in the first half of the twentieth century are displayed. Analysing the changes of various modern fashion elements from Qipao’s styles, fabrics and techniques to reveal the related design culture developments, we can not only experience the art of Qipao, but also better to aware the aesthetics and old Shanghai style in this oriental modern commercial capital. This exhibition also provides another view to study the process of cultural transformation in apparel design from Republic of China. It enlightens us and poses some ways in the contemporary fashion and textile design that is constantly colliding and fusing between traditional culture and modern trend.

龔建培以社會學、技術學、圖象學和敘事學的角度呈現民國時期海派旗袍及面料研究的部分成果。展品包括二十世紀上半葉出現在上海的旗袍原件，民國旗袍研究文獻及圖像，月份牌旗袍面料復原圖，老照片旗袍面料復原圖等。從旗袍形製、 面料、工藝多種時尚元素的嬗變解析中近代服飾設計文化發展，不但可以體驗旗袍及織物的設計藝術，更能見微知著地感受老上海這個東方商業之都的審美特徵和生活情境。這次展覽還為瞭解民國以來服飾設計文化轉型的過程提供多個視域，對處在傳統文化和現代文化不斷碰撞、融合的當代服裝及紡織設計極具借鑒與啟示之功。