Bao Wenqi, the sixth director of Hangzhou Limin Garment Factory, poses with his daughter Bao Leiyan, who became head of the factory in 2017. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]

In 2017, Bao Wenqi retired and his daughter Bao Leiyan took over the factory. The factory's turnover subsequently tripled due to innovative exploration to satisfy modern tastes.

Based on the traditionally-styled dress, Bao introduced new collections with different colors and embroidery pieces around the collar.

An obvious change over the past two years is that the number of teenage customers has increased, Bao noted.

"Many overseas students around 17 or 18 years of age buy qipao for public speeches or performances, and children learning folk music also wear Chinese-style clothing at competitions and performances," she said.

In regard to opening an online store, Bao believes that it is not the right choice for Limin as it only allows them to sell premade clothing rather than tailoring according to each customer's personal needs.

It is impossible to pursue great sales volume for high-end handmade clothing, it takes at least two months from taking the first measurements to delivering the final dress, said Bao, adding that the comfort of each individual customer is their ultimate priority.

An exquisite hand-embroidered qipao, a traditional Chinese dress for women, made by Hangzhou Limin Garment Factory. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]