[Photo / China Daily]

Wang Deyue, 63, who also came for a photo shoot, says a fleeting memory of her mother makes the project significant for her. "My mother died so young, the only image I could remember about her was condensed into a photo in which she wore a brunette kind of cheongsam."

"Now more people want to own customized cheongsams," says Liu, with surprise at the response to the project, "and we have received many invitations from overseas Chinese who hope that such activities could be held in other parts of the world."

Liu also cooperates with Fang Zi, a local fashion designer, in designing a Hanfu collection to revitalize the traditional Chinese dress invented during the Han Dynasty (202 BC 220 AD).

Fang, with 15 years of cheongsam-design experience, is famous for her unique sewing skills and exquisite works. In this project, she is in charge of designing various types of cheongsam.

Now, young women account for about 40 percent of all the participants. Most of them come to take photos with their mothers and grandmothers.

Liu divides his project into several stages. He plans to curate an exhibition of the 1,000 cheongsam photos to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of New China on National Day on Oct 1.

"But it's not the end," he says.

"The vintage memories are just beginning."