Velvet Fabric for a Woman's Ao or Magua (Short Coat), Shoes, and Accessories

Woven Chinese silk has been coveted globally for thousands of years, ever since its development by the Yangshao culture of China (about 5000 to 3000 BCE). This silk velvet yardage is woven to shape, creating pattern pieces for a full-sleeved, short jacket that overlaps in front and would have been worn in informal domestic settings. To avoid wasting the expensive fabric, covers for matching shoes and other accessories were incorporated into the pattern in between the larger pieces.