五十年代梅花牌龙凤呈祥旗袍短褂套装：粤绣盘金绣技艺与东方美学的古董遗珍
此套古董旗袍短褂产自上世纪五十年代大陆，由国营老字号“梅花牌”匠心打造（衣标明确标注“HAND EMBROIDERY GUANGDONG CHINA”），是新中国成立初期融合传统工艺与现代剪裁的典范之作。套装以“龙凤呈祥”为核心主题，通过广东粤绣非遗盘金绣技法，在真丝素缎与醋酸面料上重现千年吉祥意象，兼具历史厚度与艺术精度，堪称民国风韵与新中国审美交织的稀缺孤品。
粉色旗袍选用顶级真丝素缎为底，缎面莹润如玉，光泽内敛，触之似流水抚过指尖。素缎之“素”，恰为粤绣盘金绣提供了纯净画布，使龙凤图案的华贵与底料的素雅形成“艳而不俗，素而不寡”的视觉平衡。
金线盘绕的蛟龙昂首腾云，龙身以金、银线交织，鳞片层层叠叠，立体如浮雕；龙睛以黑珠点缀，炯炯有神，龙须飞扬，尽显“能幽能明，能细能巨”的《说文解字》之姿。龙口衔火焰珠，周身环绕祥云，取《礼记·礼运》“麟、凤、龟、龙，谓之四灵”之意，象征权力与祥瑞。
凤凰凤冠以金线勾勒，羽翼舒展，尾羽长达半裙，五彩丝线渐变出“赤色者凤”的华贵；凤凰口衔灵芝，与龙纹的火焰珠遥相呼应，取《诗经·卷阿》“凤凰于飞，翙翙其羽”之吉兆，寓意夫妻和谐、天下安宁。
龙凤周身环绕的如意形祥云，以银线盘绣，线条如流水行云，既分隔主纹又串联气韵，暗合《楚辞》“乘丰隆之奔气兮，调玲珑之云旗”的仙逸之境。
白色短褂选用醋酸面料，其光泽近似真丝，却更显挺括，为盘金绣提供了稳定的支撑。粤绣匠人以“钉金绣”技法，将金线钉于面料后再盘绕，使龙凤轮廓如金属雕刻般立体；“平绣”与“垫绣”结合，让龙鳞凤羽呈现高低错落的层次感，远观如浮雕，近触似玉石。
短褂的龙凤图案采用“左右对称”布局，前襟对称绣龙凤，袖口点缀云纹，领口以梅花牌标识收尾，既符合传统服饰的庄重感，又通过不对称的动态线条打破沉闷。
金线选用24K真金箔捻制，直径仅0.1毫米，盘绕时需控制松紧度，使龙身在光线下呈现“金鳞闪闪”的动态效果；凤羽则以银线与彩线交织，通过“撕嵌”技法嵌入金线缝隙，实现“五色具备，灿烂夺目”的粤绣特色。
领口与前襟的白色盘扣，形似海棠花，与龙凤图案的牡丹、祥云形成“花中藏祥，扣里藏福”的巧思，暗合《红楼梦》中“盘扣如花，寓意吉祥”的传统。
粤绣（广东刺绣）作为中国四大名绣之一，以“盘金绣”“钉金绣”为核心技法，早在唐代即为宫廷贡品。此套装的龙凤图案，完美继承了粤绣“繁而不乱，艳而不俗”的技艺精髓：金线盘绕如龙脊，彩线平绣似凤羽，通过“分层施色”“虚实结合”的手法，让龙凤在二维面料上呈现三维立体感，堪称五十年代粤绣工艺的活化石。
“梅花牌”作为五十年代国营出口品牌，专供外宾与高端市场，其产品以“传统题材+现代剪裁”著称。此套装的旗袍保留了传统旗袍的立领、斜襟、开衩，却弱化了过度贴身的剪裁，更符合新中国女性的活动需求；短褂的宽松版型则融合了中式对襟与西式短外套的元素，是“中体西用”设计理念的早期实践。
盘金绣需经“画稿—钉金—盘绕—平绣”等十余道工序，一名匠人需耗时数月方可完成一件，且金线易断、色彩难调，成品率极低。
这套梅花牌龙凤呈祥旗袍短褂，不仅是服饰，更是一部浓缩的东方美学史诗。它以粤绣盘金绣为笔，以真丝与醋酸为纸，将《诗经》的凤凰、《礼记》的四灵、《楚辞》的云旗，尽数绣入一针一线；它承载着五十年代新中国的开放与创新，让龙凤从“皇权象征”回归“百姓吉祥”，成为跨越时空的东方美学符号。
正如沈从文在《中国古代服饰研究》中所言：“服饰是文明的皮肤，刺绣是皮肤上的诗。”此套古董套装，正是穿在身上的千年吉祥史，每一道金线都是历史的脉络，每一朵牡丹都是时代的笑容——它不仅稀缺，更不可复制。
1950s "Plum Blossom" Brand Dragon & Phoenix Suit: An Archival Treasure of Yue Embroidery and Oriental Aesthetics
This antique cheongsam and jacket ensemble was produced in Mainland China during the 1950s by the heritage state-owned brand "Plum Blossom" (Meihua). Bearing the original label "HAND EMBROIDERY GUANGDONG CHINA," it stands as a quintessential masterpiece from the early years of the People's Republic, where traditional craftsmanship met modern tailoring. Featuring the "Dragon and Phoenix in Auspicious Harmony" theme, it utilizes the non-material cultural heritage technique of Yue Embroidery (Cantonese Embroidery)—specifically Panjin (Gold-thread couching)—to recreate millennial auspicious motifs on silk satin and acetate. It is a rare, one-of-a-kind piece that intertwines Republican-era grace with the burgeoning aesthetics of New China.
The Cheongsam: Peony-Pink Silk Satin
The cheongsam is crafted from top-tier plain silk satin in a delicate peony-pink. The fabric is as lustrous as jade, possessing an understated glow and a texture that feels like flowing water. The "plainness" of the satin provides a pure canvas for the opulence of the gold-thread couching, achieving a visual equilibrium described as "magnificent without being vulgar, elegant without being sparse."
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The Dragon: Woven from gold and silver threads, the dragon soars through clouds with its head held high. Its scales are layered and three-dimensional, resembling a relief carving. Its eyes are accented with black beads to capture a spirited gaze, embodying the dragon’s ability to be "both hidden and manifest, minute and titanic" as described in the Shuowen Jiezi. It holds a flaming pearl in its mouth, surrounded by auspicious clouds—a symbol of power and divinity.
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The Phoenix: Traced in gold with wings outstretched, the phoenix’s tail feathers cascade down to the hem. Gradient silk threads depict the vibrant "vermilion" majesty of the bird. Holding a Lingzhi (mushroom of immortality) in its beak to echo the dragon’s pearl, it symbolizes the "harmonious flight of the phoenix" from the Classic of Poetry, signifying marital bliss and global peace.
The Short Jacket: White Acetate with Dimensional Embroidery
The white jacket is made of acetate, a fabric chosen for its silk-like luster and structural stiffness, which provides stable support for heavy gold embroidery.
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Techniques: Artisans employed Dingjin (Nailing Gold), where gold threads are nailed onto the fabric before being coiled, making the outlines of the dragon and phoenix as sharp as metal carvings. The combination of Pingxiu (Flat stitch) and Dianxiu (Padded embroidery) creates a staggered, sculptural depth.
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Layout: The jacket features a symmetrical design with dragons and phoenixes facing each other on the front panels and cloud motifs on the cuffs—a dignified arrangement that breaks monotony through the dynamic, asymmetric lines of the embroidery itself.
Craftsmanship: The Soul of Yue Embroidery
The gold thread used is twisted from 24K genuine gold foil, with a diameter of only 0.1mm. This requires the artisan to meticulously control the tension to ensure the dragon scales shimmer with a "living" metallic luster. The "Begonia-shaped" frog buttons (pankou) on the collar and placket integrate the peony and cloud motifs into a subtle design language of "blessings hidden within flowers."
As one of the Four Great Embroideries of China, Yue Embroidery (Cantonese Embroidery) was once a tribute to the imperial court as early as the Tang Dynasty. This suit inherits the core essence of being "complex yet orderly, brilliant yet refined." Through layered coloring and the interplay of void and solid, it transforms two-dimensional fabric into a three-dimensional epic.
Historical & Brand Significance
As a state-owned export brand in the 1950s, "Plum Blossom" was reserved for foreign dignitaries and high-end markets. This suit represents an early practice of the "Chinese Essence, Western Application" philosophy. The cheongsam retains the traditional standing collar and diagonal closure but features a slightly relaxed cut to suit the lifestyle of the modern "New China" woman. The jacket merges the elements of a traditional Chinese jacket (Duijin) with the silhouette of a Western bolero.
Conclusion
As the scholar Shen Congwen once wrote in Research on Ancient Chinese Costumes: "Clothing is the skin of civilization; embroidery is the poetry on that skin." This suit is a wearable chronicle of a thousand years of auspicious history. Every gold thread is a vein of history; every peony is the smile of an era. It is not merely rare—it is irreplaceable.
