When London-based fashion designer Brandon Choi walked into Shi Yi's boutique in downtown Shanghai, he did not expect to leave with plans for the next day. Captivated by the Song brocade pieces on display, he learned that the centuries-old textile came from Suzhou, Jiangsu province, where Shi's studio is based. "See you in Suzhou tomorrow afternoon," he told her. Shi assumed it was simply a polite remark. It was not. He showed up the next day, eager to understand the fabric behind the shimmer of muted colors and ancient motifs.

Shi has seen that reaction before. During Shanghai Fashion Week in late March, a design team from fashion house Maison Margiela wandered into her boutique and ended up buying nearly everything they could carry, from her best-selling brooch featuring a Tang Dynasty (618-907) woman playing polo to notebooks, earbud cases and garments. "This is the allure of Song brocade," said Shi, 30. "Once people see it, it's hard to resist."

That enthusiasm helps explain why Song brocade, once associated with imperial taste and collectors' cabinets, is finding a new audience. Originating in Suzhou during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the silk textile has long been prized for its intricate structure, refined patterns and understated elegance. It was used to mount treasured calligraphy and paintings and, at times, to dress the elite.