This kebaya belonged to Khouw Pho Nio (1899–1984), who would have worn it with a batik sarong, at home or on informal occasions outside the home. The scalloped edges decorated with simple embroidery mark this as an example of a type of kebaya known as kebaya biku. Sewing machines were available in the Malay Archipelago by the end of the 19th century, and by the first decades of the 20th century they were used to create embroideries that imitated the appearance of lace. Although kebayas with more lavish embroidery were also popular in the mid-20th century, kebaya bikus continued to be favoured for their simplicity.
