Ceremonial robe (kawai). 18th century.

Textile: Handspun cotton, silk and wool. India, China, Indonesia, and Europe.
Tailored in Sumatra, Lampung.
In the 18th century, rulers in Java attached talismanic qualities to patchwork (tambalan), and had ceremonial robes made from the fabric. At the same time, quilts with complicated patchwork patterns were popular in Europe and the Americas. This patchwork baju kebaya is made from a vast array of cloths, all available in maritime Asia, including Indian cottons and damasks, European wool and silk, Chinese silk, and early Javanese batiks and plaids. Lampung in southern Sumatra was a centre of pepper production, and local chiefs enriched themselves while playing off the regional powers vying to control this trade: the sultanates of Palembang and Banten, and the Dutch East India Company. These long robes are referred to in the local dialect as Kawai (possibly derived from kebaya), and were typically worn by local district chiefs.