In Malaysia, few businesses have kept traditional kebaya-making alive. But newer names like Rimbun KL in Puchong are giving it a modern twist.
Aini Qaleesha, fondly known as Suna, started her boutique specialising in kebaya five years ago, right after completing her SPM.
From designing and selling her own kebaya outfits online, the 22-year-old opened a physical store last year to showcase her pieces.
“How Rimbun KL is different from others is that we don’t sell our kebaya outfits as a set,” she told FMT Lifestyle. “Customers can mix and match however they like. You can wear it with skirts or even jeans.”
Rimbun KL offers a wide range, from traditional Nyonya kebaya and lace designs to modern sequined styles, including free- and plus-size options.
Suna shared that many of her customers are also Indian and Chinese, reflecting the broad appeal of the garments.
Being half Chinese, Suna enjoys blending various cultural influences in her outfits: her designs include a kebaya featuring pankou knots – traditional details commonly seen on a cheongsam.
She has even reimagined a classic Nyonya kebaya where floral motifs are replaced with fruits such as watermelon and mangosteen.
“My vision was for people to wear these every day, not just during Raya,” Suna said.
“I sometimes get comments that this modern style isn’t ‘correct’. But I hope people can style kebaya in any way that they want, not in the way that society expects them to.”
Case in point: the traditional kebaya can be paired with a Mamian skirt from the Ming Dynasty – an outfit that belongs to the culture of intern Hanbai Zhang, one half of this FMT Lifestyle writing team.
This skirt, featuring classic motifs and elements closely tied to ancient Chinese artwork, is made using a traditional Chinese brocade technique spanning 3,000 years ago known as “fǎng zhuāng huā”.
Today, more and more young people in China are making it a form of daily wear, not unlike how Rimbun KL promotes kebaya through contemporary expression.
While the kebaya has evolved over time, it’s equally important to explore its origins. To learn more about its heritage, FMT Lifestyle spoke with Cedric Tan, an expert who contributed to the Unesco submission.
According to him, there is now an official definition for the kebaya. “Firstly, it has to be an open-fronted attire – it cannot be something that you slip in, so baju kurung doesn’t count.”
Secondly, a kebaya outfit should have additional lapels in the front. “It’s not figure-hugging, it’s a loose form of attire,” he said.
“The third characteristic is that it has a gusset or, in Malay, a ‘kekek’. It’s sort of an extension under the armpit that allows free movement of the arms.”
Tan, a sixth-generation Peranakan, noted that the creativity and ingenuity of kebaya embroiderers in the past is unmatched. But what’s his take on the modernisation of the kebaya?
“When we talk about the promotion of a traditional attire, then we need to hold fast to the traditional look,” Tan expressed.
“But when it comes to events that are more informal, casual, I’m fine with people putting on kebaya as an overcoat, wearing a camisole underneath, and just slipping on the kebaya with jeans or any form of plain skirt.”
In the end, when modernity coexists with tradition, fashion evolves – as proven by the kebaya and other traditional attire from around the world.
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Rimbun KL
20, Jalan Tasik Prima 6/2,
Taman Tasik Prima,
47100 Puchong, Selangor
Business hours: 12pm-8pm