Through Foreign Eyes: A Japanese Embrace of Malaysian Textiles
By Samantha Khoo
July 2025 FEATURE
OUTSIDE MALAYSIA—in Japan, for example—there is a quiet but growing interest in our local textiles. But what is it about our batik, Nyonya kebaya and baju kurung that captures the interest of fashion enthusiasts in Japan?In this article, Penang Monthly explores how Japanese and Malaysian textiles overlapped in history. We also speak to several Japanese collectors of Malaysian traditional costumes, and explore how these crafts are being reinterpreted in Japanese fashion.Textile Crossroads: A Shared Heritage From India to Southeast Asia and JapanIn the 15th...
Samantha Khoo
A personal blogger since her teenage years, Samantha Khoo has always enjoyed stringing words together. Her dream is to live off-grid in a cottage with all the coffee, ink and paper she can have.
