“The iconic female representation of Nyonya identity is the Sarong Kebaya, Kasut Manek ensemble.” -Unknown

 

Peranakans are a sub-ethnic group that descended from the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia Archipelago. The term ‘Peranakan’ actually means ‘locally born’, because they were the offspring of migrants from both Malaysia and Indonesia. 

 

Their culture is profound, with a whole selection of food categorised as Peranakan food and even their own language, known as Baba Malay or Peranakan Malay, which is a mix of Malay and Hokkien. 

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Our main focus today, however, is their fashion. Traditional Peranakan fashion. Peranakan Women once donned the Sarong Kebaya and Kasut Manek on a daily basis. But in more recent times these clothing have been losing their popularity. Now, these types of clothing have become pieces that are only worn on special occasions such as students on Racial Harmony Day or during formal events such as weddings. This has turned Nyonya beadwork and embroidery into what many consider a dying trade.

 

On this site, we will take a look at and speak to two of the few remaining practitioners of Nyonya beadwork and embroidery left in Singapore to find out what life is like in a dying trade. We will also listen to some opinions from youths and Peranakans in Singapore on the decline in popularity of traditional Peranakan fashion.

 

Information on traditional Peranakan clothing

 

The Kasut Manek is a beaded slipper worn by Nyonyas. It is made up of tens of thousands of tiny colourful glass beads just slightly over 1mm wide each. The beads are meticulously put together on a frame with tiny grids all over and then finally added to a wooden clog or in more modern times, a high heel. 

 

The Sarong Kebaya is a blouse-dress combination. The Kebaya blouse usually uses sheer fabrics such as silk, thin cotton, or semi-transparent nylon. The fabric is dyed, then shapes and patterns are drawn onto the cloth by the craftsman. Finally, the embroidery is sewn onto the cloth which completes the beautiful Kebaya. 

 

Popular motifs for both the Kebaya and Kasut Manek are usually flowers, butterflies, phoenixes, dragons and insects.