Born in a tiny village in Zhejiang, he had a tough childhood. When he moved to the city in 1951, he found Hong Kong to be full of activity and opportunity. He started apprenticing under his uncle, earning a meagre but serviceable salary. The Jordan area was still underdeveloped at that time, and there were no factories to churn out mass-produced clothing, so people had to make clothes themselves. The wealthier would have qipaos tailored, while the normal folk made simple shirts and pants. During that time, there were many tailor shops on Jordan Road, interspersed with some concession stores and bodegas. They were strategically placed in close proximity to the textile shops on Nathan Road and the now demolished Jordan Road Ferry Pier, so as to attract people who were commuting by ferry to and from Hong Kong Island to tailor qipaos. It didn’t hurt that the area was a major business and shopping district at the time, with Shanghai Street filled with pawnshops, bookstores, and other traditional Chinese trades.

“We just do the work. What’s the point of being famous?” he reasons. This is the attitude of old-timey artisans, who often ply away at their chosen craft for their whole life without complaint. Many traditional crafts in the area are in danger of fading away, but thankfully, Master Yan hosts regular workshops for budding tailors keen on continuing the time-honoured tradition of qipao making. His students have gone on to make modern interpretations of the qipao, ushering in a new age of local fashion that combines classic and modern styles, a phenomenon that reflects the characteristics of West Kowloon as well. In this way, a valuable piece of history is preserved, and woven seamlessly into modern times.