Kebaya

Title
Kebaya
Year/Period
1940s
Region
Java, Indonesia
Material
Dimension
Object size: 70.7 x 131.4 cm
Accession No.
2017-00580
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of the family of C.K.and S.Y. Kwok

This white kebaya has a geometric stitching on the body of the cloth, and an embroidered leaf and swirl pattern around the edges. The kebaya is a loose open jacket usually worn by Peranakan women of the Straits Settlements, Indonesia and Indo-European women of the late 19th to 20th century It has embroidered edges, which became popular during the mid-twentieth century and replaced lace as the decoration of choice along the border of the blouses. This kebaya belonged to a Chinese woman who was living in Java during the Japanese Occupation. She took on Peranakan dress and identity to adopt as low a profile as possible in order not to attract attention