A woman in Qipao. [Photo/VCG]

"These days people say copying is the highest form of flattery. I once had seven dresses stolen from the workshop in a single night. I think that too can be considered another form of flattery," joked Zhou.

In 2015, together with four homegrown qipao brands, Zhou established the Shanghai Chamber of Couture Qipao to set quality standards and promote the craft of making qipao. The chamber has since organized various events in France and Italy.

In order to keep up with the times, Zhou has been introducing 3-D cutting technology into the production process and developing new fabrics as qipao is mainly made using silk. He has even dared to venture into the creation of black and white qipao which are traditionally only worn during funerals in China.