“Kasut Manek” refers to beaded slippers worn by the Nonya with the “Sarong Kebaya” or the “Baju Panjang”. The slipper face is covered with bead embroidery or threading. This is a technique where coloured seed beads are stitched onto a base fabric using needle and thread. The seed beads used were usually Rocaille beads imported from Europe. These were faceted beads made of glass. Such bead embroidery was usually done on velvet or plain weave cotton and required the use of a frame or ‘pidangan’. The main decorative motifs on the slipper face include a blue and green fish, complete with green aquatic plants in the background. This piece could have been worn during the mourning period as blue and green were considered mourning colours in the Peranakan culture. Such pieces are rare as they were usually discarded once the period of mourning had passed.
