Object size: 77.0 x 150.0 cm
These shirts come from Robinsons department store. Robinsons Department Store was founded in 1858 in Singapore by Philip Robinson from Australia and James Gaborian Spicer, a former jailkeeper in Singapore. Hence its original name: Spicer and Robinson. However, from its foreign beginnings, Robinsons adapted to the local styles and trends of Singapore, drawing from the designs of the region to produce clothing that reflected the art and environment of Southeast Asia. This was also a time when there was a shift towards local fashion, as opposed to taking inspiration solely from Western fashion icons and trends. This shirt reflects that shift, with a ‘Cattelya’ orchid design embroidered onto the shirt pocket. The ‘Cattelya’ orchid design may be a reflection of local flora and the national preference for orchids as a representative flower for the country, especially since in 1981 the Vanda Miss Joaquim Orchid was chosen as Singapore’s national flower
