The traditional embroidered, figure-hugging cheongsam (or qipao) is certainly a beautiful frock, but unless you’re a size zero or Zhang Ziyi, that Peking duck you just ate will be showing up in all the wrong places.
So what’s a gal to do if she wants to bring home a flattering sartorial souvenir from Beijing? If DVF minus the patterns is up your alley, a gorgeous slinky wraparound or an elegant coat in soft velvet silk from Kathrin von Rechenberg could be the answer.
The rare textile, whose marbled gloss improves with age (don’t we all), is made by very few weavers due to its laborious 30-step production process, however Munich-born Kathrin, who sharpened her scissors at ateliers including Chanel and the two Christians, specialises in creating highly wearable silk collections with a sprinkling of Asian aesthetic (think Chinese band collars and wide kimono sleeves). Ring ahead to visit her pretty courtyard studio, and if you can’t find anything off the rack, she can even make to measure. How smart is that?
Rechenberg Couture, Building 12, Xinyuan Xili Dong Jie, Chaoyang, Beijing, +86 10 6463 1788, rechenberg.cn
