Young women in Chongqing dress up in qipao at a theme party. The organizer says it's for beautiful women who love qipao to meet new friends offline. [Photo by Sina Chongqing/For China Daily]

A party for women wearing traditional qipao shows that the young have a new interest in old styles.

A recent theme party in southwestern China's Chongqing celebrated the qipao - the form-fitting ancient-Manchu dress later modernized in coastal Shanghai.

More than 40 women visited a restaurant clad in the colorful clothes. Music was performed on ancient instruments while masters painted traditional pictures and calligraphy. The women also played the ancient board game Go.

"It's for beautiful women who love qipao to meet new friends offline," says event organizer Wang Youdong, who directs a local channel of Sina's website that focuses on socializing. Attendees included college students, white-collar professionals and entrepreneurs. Most are in their 20s. The youngest is 18.