In her handcrafted satin qipao dress with ink-wash pattern, Kunqu opera performer Zhao Jinyu looks like she has just stepped out of a classic Chinese painting as she performs a piece from “The Peony Pavilion.” She says the dress played an integral part in shaping the expressions, postures, and movements of the young maiden role. In one Shanghai workshop, each qipao goes through many hours of crafting to accentuate its wearer’s unique shape.