In the heart of Haikou’s historic Qilou Old Street, known for its distinctive Nanyang (Southeast Asian) architectural style, you’ll find a photography studio with a strong sense of atmosphere and nostalgia: Qilou Story Photo Studio.

Built around a vintage theme, the studio offers an immersive cultural experience inspired by Hainan’s overseas Chinese heritage. Visitors can step into carefully selected period costumes and transform into elegant Nanyang ladies, refined gentlemen, or fashionable socialites of a bygone era — creating their own story in front of the camera.

Qilou Story Photo Studio provides a comprehensive, one-stop service that includes professional costume rental, retro hair and makeup styling, and themed set photography. The wardrobe features a wide range of meticulously chosen outfits that reflect the aesthetics of the time, from classic qipaos and Nanyang-style suits to traditional Nyonya attire from Singapore and Malaysia, as well as Vietnam’s áo dài. Each piece is selected to authentically evoke the spirit of the era.

The professional styling team designs hair and makeup according to each client’s features and temperament, recreating iconic vintage looks such as soft finger waves and finely arched brows, allowing guests to feel transported back to the elegance and charm of a century ago.

Inside the studio, multiple nostalgic themed sets recreate the atmosphere of the Nanyang overseas Chinese communities: antique gramophones, carved wooden windows, retro telephone booths, and other carefully curated details that tell stories of romance and migration. The photographers focus on capturing natural expressions and gestures, whether in poised solo portraits or more narrative-driven group compositions, producing artistic images designed to be treasured.

At Qilou Story Photo Studio, change your attire, step into another era, and make an appointment with history. Let the camera take you back to a time of swaying paper umbrellas and the gentle chime of rickshaw bells — a dreamlike vision of old Nanyang brought to life.

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