Slippers

Title
Slippers
Year/Period
c.early 20th century
Region
Straits Settlements
Technique
Dimension
Unknown Type: Please refer to parts
Accession No.
2005-01448

This pair of embroidered slippers is embroidered using silk threads, gold threads and sequins on a velvet base. The main decorative motifs are created using gold metallic thread embroidery and silver ornaments. The motifs are raised in high relief and to create this effect, thin strips of cardboard are cut out and pasted onto the parts of the outlines intended to be highlighted. The designs are then embroidered with silk, gold or silver threads using the long and short stitch, the alternating stitch or the overlapping stitch. This pair is possibly a pair of wedding slippers worn by the groom on the other days of the wedding celebrations apart from the main celebrations. The heavy use of gold thread work served to identify this category of footwear.