What did the ancient "haute couture" look like, from horse-faced skirts to wrist embroidery in the Qing Dynasty?

The characteristics of ancient haute couture are exquisite and vivid, and its design must conform to the aesthetic characteristics of the times and reflect the background of the times. For example, most of the clothes customized in the Qing Dynasty like to use some lace, such as horse-face skirts, which are Manchu. Manchu people themselves are nomadic people. In order to facilitate their daily activities, such as horseback riding, nomadic people will split skirts on both sides when customizing clothes, and the skirts are embroidered on them, and the patterns are basically related to animals. They are generally in the form of horses, and their workmanship is quite exquisite.

Another example is wrist embroidery, which is actually the cuff part left by clothes. At that time, the clothes customized by the big family were embroidered on the cuffs, and the clothes without cuffs were preserved, which was wrist embroidery. The embroidery patterns on these wrists are usually flowers and butterflies, and some of them are even embroidered with gold thread, which is very expensive. Although the colors of these wrist embroideries tend to be pure colors such as red, big and green, they are very harmonious, and together with fine embroidery, they become very appropriate and festive. Some famous calligraphers were even invited to write poems on wrist embroidery for a second creation.

China never lacked high fashion in ancient times, especially some big houses or palaces. For example, the emperor's robes, the queen's Fengxia, and the fingernails worn by the queen and the concubines in the palace seem simple, but they are all finely crafted. Let's talk about this nail sleeve. The whole nail sleeve is gold-plated, and the silk-tired process is used. Such a small nail sleeve is decorated with patterns and inlaid with gems.

In ancient times, haute couture must have been made by hand, and haute couture mainly tested personal skills and its craftsmanship. Customization is unique, there is no way to mass-produce, so it is extravagant. In ancient times, Haute Couture pursued the ultimate luxury, and every item was made as a handicraft.