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 an ikat design, a resist dyeing technique historically from Southeast Asia, printed on the shirt, highlighting the adaptation of local/regional design on a ‘Western’ style collared shirt.
