Ice Ventura Weave Cheongsam Thorough Loops (Obsidian Black)
Thorough Loops Cheongsam (Qipao) — Ice Ventura-Weave Edition
The Fly by Knight Thorough Loops Cheongsam preserves the graceful lines of traditional Eastern dress while introducing the comfort and functionality required for modern life.
This new edition is crafted from Ice Ventura-Weave, a rayon-rich fabric with a cool touch, fluid drape, and naturally luminous finish.
As light falls across the fabric, its surface moves with the body and reveals delicate layers of sheen reminiscent of qilin scales. Rather than a bold or reflective shine, the effect is subtle—light and shadow flowing naturally with every step.
Compared with our classic cotton-woven collection, Ice Ventura-Weave is especially suitable for spring and summer. Because of the fabric’s lower elasticity, a concealed side zipper has been added for easier dressing while preserving the clean, uninterrupted appearance of the Thorough Loops closure.
From tea gatherings, travel, and business occasions to everyday life, this is a garment that allows culture to be lived—not merely displayed.
Culture, Comfort, and Contemporary Movement
The Fly by Knight Thorough Loops Cheongsam is a contemporary interpretation of the classic cheongsam, combining cultural character with comfort, mobility, and softly expressive sleeve details.
Inspired by the movement principles behind our Tongbei designs, the garment retains the elegance of traditional Chinese dress while allowing the body to move comfortably across a wide range of settings.
Guided by our design philosophy—“Clothing is an extension of the body”—the cheongsam blends traditional aesthetics with modern comfort, creating a graceful and lightweight expression of contemporary Chinese style.
Whether worn for an important occasion, an exhibition, a tea gathering, a cultural event, or simply as part of everyday life, it offers an effortless balance of confidence, elegance, and individuality.
Opening: Front-opening Thorough Loops closure with concealed side zipper
Features of the Ice Ventura-Weave Cheongsam
1｜Easy to Put On and Take Off
The front-opening Thorough Loops closure is paired with a concealed side zipper, making dressing easier and more comfortable.
2｜Cool and Comfortable
The rayon-rich Ice Ventura-Weave fabric feels pleasantly cool against the skin and helps reduce discomfort in warm weather.
3｜Fluid in Motion
Its soft, flowing structure allows the fabric to move naturally with the body, creating an elegant and effortless silhouette.
4｜Easy to Style
Designed for everyday wear, tea gatherings, exhibitions, business occasions, travel, and martial arts cultural events.
5｜Easy Everyday Care
Machine washable when handled with care. To help protect the fabric’s luminous surface and reduce friction-related pilling, always turn the garment inside out and wash it separately in a close-fitting fine-mesh laundry bag.
Care Instructions
Because rayon-rich fabrics are more sensitive to friction, proper washing will help preserve the garment’s smooth surface, fluid drape, and luminous finish.
Before machine washing:
Turn the garment inside out. If friction occurs during washing, any resulting pilling is more likely to develop on the inside rather than affect the garment’s outer appearance.
Wash separately in a fine-mesh laundry bag. Choose a bag that fits the folded garment closely, without excessive empty space. This helps prevent the garment from moving around and rubbing against itself inside the bag.
Important: Always wash the garment inside out and separately in its own laundry bag. Avoid washing it loose or together with other garments, as repeated friction may cause pilling.
Fabric
70% Rayon
30% Polyester
A rayon-rich fabric combining a cool touch, natural drape, and softly luminous finish.
Material Characteristics
❄ Cool Comfort
The high rayon content creates a smooth, comfortable, and subtly cooling sensation against the skin.
✦ Luminous Sheen
The specially woven surface reveals delicate layers of light and shadow when viewed from different angles.
◇ Lightweight Drape
Soft and fluid, the fabric offers lightweight comfort while preserving the graceful lines associated with Eastern dress.
Fit and Sizing Notes
Ice Ventura-Weave has less stretch than our classic cotton-woven fabric.
For this reason, the cheongsam includes a concealed side zipper, improving ease of dressing while maintaining its clean, fitted silhouette.
Before ordering, we recommend measuring your bust, waist, and hips and comparing all three measurements with the size chart. Select the size that most closely accommodates your measurements.
If you are between two sizes, we recommend choosing the larger size for greater comfort.
Sleeves in Motion
Flowing Sleeves, Effortless Movement
The lines of the sleeves are inspired by the martial artist’s understanding of bodily movement.
With every lifted arm, turn, and step, the fabric extends naturally with the body—echoing the coiling silk movements of Tai Chi and the spiralling turns of Baguazhang.
Between stillness and motion, the garment reveals an Eastern philosophy of the body. It is not a costume, but a piece of cultural clothing designed to accompany everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Ice Ventura-Weave and the cotton-woven edition?
Ice Ventura-Weave is made with a high proportion of rayon. Compared with the cotton-woven edition, it offers a noticeably cooler touch, softer drape, and more luminous finish, making it particularly suitable for spring and summer.
Because the fabric has less stretch than cotton, this cheongsam includes a concealed side zipper. This makes it easier to put on and take off while retaining a clean, fitted silhouette.
When selecting your size, compare your bust, waist, and hip measurements with the size chart. If your measurements fall between two sizes, choose the larger size for a more comfortable fit.
How should I choose my size?
Cheongsam sizing varies between brands. Please measure your bust, waist, and hips before ordering, then compare all three measurements with our size chart.
Choose the size that most closely accommodates all three measurements. Depending on your preferred fit, you may select a closer or more relaxed silhouette.
For an in-person fitting, please visit one of our physical stores.
Unlike our classic Thorough Loops tops, the women’s cheongsam is available in four dedicated sizes:
Sparrow — XS
Swan — S
Phoenix — M
Roc — L
Please refer to the size chart in inches and centimetres before placing your order.
We make different frame types based on the warrior types. If your measurements are between sizes, select a larger size for a looser fit or a smaller size for a tight fit.
The Design Story Behind the Thorough Loops Cheongsam
We have long wondered why the English word history is so often interpreted as “his story.”
Some scholars have suggested that the earliest written records were largely produced within armies and governments—and therefore tended to preserve male perspectives.
If history is “his story,” where is her story? Is it not equally worthy of being written?
One side of martial culture grew from horseback warfare, territorial expansion, and the battlefield. Its movements were bold, direct, and decisive. The Thorough Loops closure—with its deliberate fastening and rapid release—was born from this understanding of the body and its need for readiness.
Yet martial arts also entered the lives of ordinary people. They became an exchange of skill, personal cultivation, and quiet competition—like a game of black and white stones, where strength and intent are held within careful thought. It is a form of strength expressed with restraint.
A man may lift a heavy object or throw a spear, but a woman may carry a child throughout the day. Wing Chun is sometimes described as a woman’s martial art. Whether or not it was truly created by a woman, its principles clearly recognise and transform the structural qualities of the female body into something remarkable.
We had long wanted to create a garment specifically for women. Inspiration came in part from the image of Zhang Ziyi practising Baguazhang on screen, where director Wong Kar-wai revealed the beauty of martial movement through the female form.
A gentle cheongsam paired with the deliberate fastening and rapid release of Thorough Loops carries the spiralling turns of Baguazhang, the coiling energy of Tai Chi, and the focused intention of Wing Chun.
Strength is held within softness—quiet, restrained, and luxurious.
Fly by Knight does not wish to write only history. We also want to hear her story.
“Every movement is born from martial arts—create a life shaped by your practice.”
Fly by Knight is a martial arts-inspired cultural design brand that has reached audiences across Europe and North America. During our crowdfunding campaign in the United States, the project was described as part of a cultural revival movement.
We combine traditional culture with contemporary fashion, bringing the spirit of martial arts into modern life.
Martial arts are more than physical movement. They are a long-term ritual—a signal that helps reset a restless mind, restore balance from within, and reclaim a sense of direction in everyday life.
Drawing upon the bodily aesthetics of martial culture, Fly by Knight creates Thorough Loops martial wear, kung fu trousers, outerwear, denim, cotton and linen garments, cheongsam tops, and Tongbei-inspired T-shirts.
Each piece is thoughtfully cut and crafted to offer freedom of movement, individual expression, and enduring character.
"We aren't pursuing retro, but rather, recovering authenticity."
— Fly by Knight Design