He Pan teaches Qipao-making to younger alumni, June 1, 2016. [Photo/IC]

He Pan, in her twenties, created her own Qipao–or cheongsam–studio after a long affection for the traditional Chinese dress.

Twelve years ago, as a student who liked drawing in Nanchong, Southwest China's Sichuan province, she often went to a tailor's shop to follow the owner and watched as she stitched.

He Pan grew a strong interest in Qipao. And, as time passed by, she developed a clearer dream: to be a costume designer.

She studied at the Urban Vocational College of Sichuan, in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. But there she found few opportunities to explore Qipao in classes.

Instead, she decided to learn the skills herself, studying from old masters and even paying frequent visits to the faraway Shanghai, which is renowned for Qipao-making.