Old Shanghai Fashion Studies (1910-1940s)

In the period 1910-1940 Shanghai women’s fashion(generated)lead the way in Chinese modern fashion history reaching it’s first high point,with a unique style,the beginnings of Chinese modern fashion history,and an important element of the international fashion history.At the end of the eighteenth century some Shanghai taylors began to transition to making westernized women’s clothing which generated a new fashion industry.This was the primary reason that Shanghai fashion thrived in this period.The additioal reasons were Shanghai’s culture, arts, life style,and more together promoted at that time. The period 1910-1940 Shanghai’s characteristics and evolution were influenced not only by Shanghai natives but by international and Chinese provential influances.including outer wear, evening dress. dancing costumes,knit garments,among others including many catagories of accessories. Shanghai fashion’s primary trends can be said to be“qi cheng zhuan he”meaning “opening, developing,changeing and conclusion.”as divided into each decade. At that time Shanghai generated China’s first fashion industry, first fashion council, first fashion stores, first fashion shows, first fashion designs, first fashion critics and reporters, first professional fashion designers, and influenced the rest of Chinas’ s fashion industry.The concept and the industry of fashion in China come into form in Shanghai during the 1910 s to the 1940 s. The fashion in Shanghai of that time vividly illustrated the spirit of making full use of western advantages and ancient merits as well as opening to the world and following the times. It presented an independent and stable culture after the integration between the western and Chinese cultures. It combined both Western and Chinese spirits with great delicacy. Unfortunately, it was finally reduced to fading due to the wars and decaying economy. The lessons it got contributes to the contemporary fashion in China. The women fashion of that time gained rewarding results in the modernization of Chinese fashion, which is very important for the contemporary Chinese fashion. Shanghai woman’s faahion was uniquely Chinese even though they borrowed from international fashion trends.