为国家领导人量体裁衣的中山装定制大师 | "Royal Tailor"

Famous for making the Mao suit, Gao Liming is one of the best tailors in China. The suit has become one of the country's cultural icons since the establishment of the Republic of China in 1912. Gao's main customers are state leaders and diplomats, both domestic and foreign ones.

高黎明是当今中国数一数二的制衣师，主攻中山装。从中华民国以来，中山装就被视为中国的文化符号之一，因此，他主要的服务对象，是党和国家领导人与来访的外国元首。

When Gao became an elevator operator in 1981, he knew absolutely nothing about tailoring.

谁曾想到，1981年刚复员的时候，高黎明只不过是个普通的电梯员，对服装针线一窍不通。

At the company, he saw often Tian Atong, one of the legendary tailors of that time who made Chairman Mao’s burial suit. 

但开电梯的时候，高黎明常常碰见当年的服装泰斗，田阿桐师傅。毛主席纪念堂中，主席遗体之前身着的中山装，正是出自这位田师傅之手。

As time went by, Gao became interested in making the Mao suit. Willing to learn the techniques and inherit the fine tradition, he applied for position at the tailor.

久而久之，高黎明对制作中山装这项手艺有了兴趣。他也想把这门手艺和这一行业的优良传统传承下来，便申请学习服装制作。

Unlike operating an elevator, garment producing pays on a piecework basis. As a total beginner, Gao could only work on the assembly line, gaining a much lower income. Nevertheless, he worked hard and learnt during every opportunity he got. His hard work paid off and he was selected as the apprentice to Tian in 1990. Step by step, he went from the most basic skills to more advanced techniques of tailoring and designing.

由于服装制作的工资是按量计数，不像公司的后勤部门旱涝保收，刚开始转行时，因为只能在流水线上工作，技术又不娴熟，高黎明的收入大减。但因为他悉心学习，踏实肯干，1990年，他被选拔到田师傅身边，正式成为他的徒弟。从最基础的卷裤腿开始，逐步走向更复杂的服饰；从单纯的制作开始，学会设计和量体裁衣。

Taking note of his speedy development, Tian often brought him to make suits for the national leaders.

也正是从那时起，田师傅时常带着他去给国家领导人制衣。 

"The first time I took the measurement for a government official, I couldn't stop my hands from shaking. So I had to try once again," says Gao.

“我第一次给领导人量体的时候，手都在抖，只好再量一次。”高黎明说。

In addition to the tailor measuring tape, Gao also measures with his eyes: "We observe the customer's appearance, postures and wearing habits." With years of experience, he can quickly pick out the best pattern and fabric for the customer.

量体的时候，高黎明不仅手中有一把尺子，心里也有一把：“要用眼睛观察客人的容貌、体态，还有穿衣习惯。”通过多年积累的经验，他很快就能对客人适合的版型和面料作出判断。

The cuffs and the collar are crucial for the design of a decent suit. Tian made the collar wide and pointed to fit Chairman Mao's face shape. Gao also alters the suit's details according to the leader's appearance, the occasions he wears on, and the climate of the country he's visiting.

一件衣服要穿得得体，领口和袖口的设计是最重要的。田师傅在为毛主席制装时，就根据脸型设计了大的尖领。高黎明也会根据领导人的样貌、穿着场合、出访国家的气候对服装的细节进行修改。

For example, the collar must be specially designed to stay put as the leader may keep waving at the military parade. Double layers are adopted for the pockets to make the suit neat and smooth so that the lower hem will stay still at all times.

比如，领导人在阅兵式上穿着的服装，因为要频繁挥手，衣领需经过特殊设计，保证不随着动作上下移动。为了衣服整体看上去一直整洁挺括，口袋往往用双层面料加厚，让衣摆不至于随着行走位移。

Gao Liming and Ambassador of Sri Lanka Beresthu Guruge Ranjith Uyangoda, Sept. 2013

Gao's work is not only praised by Chinese leaders, but also favored by other foreign officials. In 2012, the then president of Malta liked the look of the Mao suit worn by the Chinese ambassador to Malta. On receiving the task of making a suit for the president, Gao and his colleagues faced a problem: they couldn't take the president's measurement as he wasn't in China personally. They had to examine his photos and estimate his body measurements. Yet to everyone's surprise, the suit that was delivered to the president fitted perfectly. The ambassador of Russia, the ambassador of Sri Lanka and many other foreign officials also had their Mao suits tailored by Gao.

高黎明制作的衣服，不仅领导人特别喜欢，也深受来访外宾的青睐。2012年，马耳他总统对时任中国驻马耳他大使身穿的中山装表达了赞赏。高黎明和他的同事接到了赠送马耳他总统一套中山装的任务，一时陷入了难题：因为马耳他总统并没有来中国，不能量体裁衣。于是，他们根据各种照片对马耳他总统的体型进行目测。令所有人惊喜的是，最终寄到总统府的中山装成品十分合身，饱受称赞。俄罗斯大使、斯里兰卡大使等也都拥有他制作的中山装。

Gao Liming and Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to China Yahya A. S. Alzaid, Nov. 2013

Since the 1990s, the company where Gao works in began to receive orders from all sections of society. "Now that mechanized production has greatly improved our efficiency, we still need to alter the design manually under special circumstances." There was a customer whose legs were not symmetric because of poliomyelitis. So Gao designed the two legs of the trousers separately. The customer was very satisfied with the result and became a frequent customer for the company.

90年代以后，除了领导人和外交人士，社会各界的人都有机会到高黎明所在的公司制装。 “虽然现在车间机械化程度高了，省力多了，但遇到特殊情况还是需要手工调整。”他曾经为一位因为患有小儿麻痹症而双腿不对称的客人专门设计裤装。他采用两边分开制作的方式打样，试穿效果令对方十分满意，那位客人从此成为公司的常客。

"The design and the making sections are separated. The working environment has also changed greatly," says Gao. But he insists in guiding in the workshops, integrating the design and the producing. For him, tailoring is an old skill that he inherited from his master, and it's worth being passed on to the new generations of tailors. 

“现在，设计和制作逐渐分开了，环境也跟我当年不一样了。”高黎明说。但是，他还是坚持亲自在车间中指导制衣，坚持设计和制作的一体化。因为，对他而言，制衣是一门师徒代代流传的老手艺，值得一直继承下去。

Director：Zhou Xin

Editor：Ma Mingyuan, Gao Xingzi

Filmed by: Wang Yusen

Designer：Li Yueyun

Article Written by: Zhu Siqi

Copy Editor：Melissa Chua

Producer：Wen Yaru

Chief Editor：Liu Hui, Lin Dongwei

Supervisor：Pang Xinhua

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