The Nyonya Kebaya: A Century Of Straits Chinese Costume
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
Sheer, romantic, alluring, yet sedate, the Nyonya kebaya has become a recognizable and enduring Malaysian fashion icon. Originally a long, straight, Arab-inspired top of plain woven cotton, it was adopted by the Nyonyas, the womenfolk of the early Peranakan community, a subgroup of the Chinese, who gradually transformed it into a shapely, embroidered, translucent blouse, fastened with a set of chained brooches and worn with a matching hand-drawn batik sarong and beaded slippers. The Nyonyas, a mix of women from the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Burma and Thailand who married Chinese traders in the Straits Settlements of Malacca, Penang and Singapore from the sixteenth century, were true multiculturalists. Their knack for combining the best of cultural influences from Chinese, Malay and European, contributed to a rich Peranakan heritage well known for its distinctive cuisine, architecture, furniture, porcelain, costumes, embroidery, beadwork, silverware and jewelry.
This book showcases the collection of Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, whose admiration for the artistry and skill that goes into producing these Peranakan works of art, has encouraged her to build up an outstanding collection of Nyonya kebaya and matching accessories. Following an introduction to the history of the kebaya and its evolution, readers are treated to a feast of delicate embroidered kebaya, colorful batik sarongs, beaded slippers and jewelry, as well as the processes of making a kebaya, the wealth of embroidery motifs, and how the timeless beauty of the kebaya is being brought into the future.
About the Author
Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Abdullah Badawi, is a passionate proponent of local arts. She has been collecting Nyonya kebaya and accessories for over a decade.
The Nyonya Kebaya: A Century Of Straits Chinese Costume,Datin Seri Endon Mahmood,Periplus Editions,0794602738,Antiques & Collectibles,Antiques/Collectibles,Art & Art Instruction,Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - Private,Fashion,Textiles & Costume
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