Peranakan
The term Peranakan—derived from a Malay word meaning “locally born”—refers to the descendants of Chinese immigrants who settled in the Malay Archipelago and intermarried with local populations. Over centuries, Peranakan communities developed unique hybrid cultures that blend Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, and colonial European influences. While Peranakan culture is rich in language, cuisine, and ritual, one of its most visible expressions is in fashion, which serves as both a marker of identity and a living archive of multicultural heritage. The most well-known subgroup, Baba-Nyonya, emerged in port cities like Malacca, Penang, and Singapore from the 15th century onward. Similar communities also formed in Indonesia, especially in Java and Sumatra. These Peranakans maintained Chinese ancestral customs and adopted local Malay or Indonesian traditions, creating a unique culture that was distinct from both their Chinese ancestors and their sourroundings.
Traditional Peranakan dress is a good example of the cultural fusion. For women, the base garment is the kebaya - delicate, fitted blouse, made from sheer fabric with intricate floral embroidery. This blouse is paired with a batik sarong - hand-dyed with patterns inspired by both Chinese and Southeast Asian motifs. This is fastened with ornamental kerosang (brooches) and the whole outfit is completed by kasut manek - slippers meticulously embroidered with glass beads.The Peranakan male counterpart, the Baba, traditionally wore a more simple version of Malay dress, such as a baju lokchuan - a tunic with Chinese collars - paired with sarongs or trousers. In colonial times, Baba men also adopted European-style suits, blending Western fashion with Eastern fabrics and accessories.
Through out different countries - Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand or India - Perankan dress differs a bit but at its core stays pretty much the same. The traditional techniques of embroidery (like on kebayas) or meticulous dyeing of Batik fabrics are still most of the time executed by hand as many believe that the industrial machine adaptation of these garments “kills their spirit”. Producing garments in a traditional way helps to preserve the craft that is such an important part of the Peranakan culture. The classics textiles like the wax dyed batik have made their way into modern culture thanks to dresses like the ones of stewardesses of Malaysia, Indonesia or Singapore airlines. Preservations and modernisation of traditional fabric styles like kebaya embroidery or batik sarongs can be one of the many ways of introducing a slower, more attentive to detail and process ways into the modern fashion world.
