For someone who either goes barefoot or wears black clogs, I am strangely obsessed with the possibilities of shoe decoration. Recently I have discovered Peranakan shoe beading, a traditional art in Singapore.

“For those unfamiliar with the wardrobe of a Peranakan woman, beaded slippers were elegant and delicate looking footwear made from fabrics like velvet or gauze, and decorated with tiny colourful beads, and gold and silver coloured thread… Local Nyonya expert and part-time curator Michael Cheah described how a bride had to craft an assortment of slippers to be presented as part of her dowry to the groom and his immediate family. To show off her expertise, a special showcase of embroidered slippers was even prominently displayed in the nuptial chamber. Ghulam Sarwar-Yousof, an expert on culture, added that it was also the custom to present a pair of beaded slippers to the matchmaker…

Not surprisingly, crafting a well-made pair of beaded slippers was a time consuming affair, and the ‘face’ for each pair could take several months to complete. The maker had to possess an infinite amount of patience and perseverance, a steady hand, good eyesight and of course a flair for aesthetic creativity.”

from Nyonya kasut manek – timeless objects of beauty

A bit of background, “Peranakan refers to the descendants of the early Chinese community who settled in the Malay Archipelago from the 17th century and who has integrated with the Malays in this region.” The article Peranakan Beadwork & Embroidery offers this insight as to the best beads for the work,
“The most unique feature is the type of beads that was used by the Nonyas of the past. You know, the ‘manek potong’… ‘Manek’ means beads, ‘potong’ means cut and it is like a faceted diamond. It is a cut bead.”

Peranakan Beadwork is a book out on this traditional beading style. A presentation at Bead Expo 2000 offers this summary:

“Here, the history of the art of Peranakan beadwork, exclusive to the Peranakan community of Singapore, Penang, Malacca and Indonesia, is presented for the first time to an international audience. It reveals how every young girl of the past generation had to learn to sew and embroider beaded slippers, pillow covers and other decorative items to enhance her chances of marriage. Peranakan beadwork is intricately vibrant in colors and designs, which were symbolically associated with Chinese beliefs. The beads used were minuscule Venetian glass faceted beads and beadwork up to 8 feet in length was created to decorate the bridal chamber. Peranakan interest in beadwork waned after WWII and has almost become a lost art.”

There is a rehabilitation project, The Industrial and Service Co-operative Society Ltd which is reviving this art as a means of helping women ex-prisoners and ex-drug addicts rejoin society.