Title
Kebaya
Year/Period
Late 19th-early 20th century
Region
Indonesian Archipelago
Dimension
Gross measurement: 84.8 x 144 cm
Accession No.
2011-01098
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mr and Mrs Lee Kip Lee
The kebaya is a long sleeved garment reaching to around the waist and open in the front. This garment is believed to have been derived from the ancient ‘qaba’, an Islamic robe worn by rulers across the Middle East since the ninth century. This piece is decorated with cutwork motifs that resemble flower petals. Cutwork is a needlework embroidery technique in which portions of the fabric are cut away to create holes that are then reinforced and filled with embroidery. It is possibly made of voile, which is a type of cotton imported from European countries such as Switzerland. These are light weight, plain weave fabrics made of highly twisted yarns.
