Block Printed Skirt and Top featuring prints inspired by Peranakan Tiles
Tiles are witnesses, they are a testament to craft and now they inspire ours...
Flora, fauna and motifs deep rooted in a cultural context have always been a source of inspiration for Artful House and for our latest artisanal block print collection we drew upon a rich cultural legacy present in the region we call home – Peranakan Shophouses.
Peranakan is a Malay term meaning "locally born" of mixed ethnic heritage in Southeast Asia. These mixed ethnic heritage communities developed when travellers, many of them merchants made their way from their home countries and settled in South East Asia inter marrying with the local women. Through these unions were born very interesting, vibrant communities with a syncretic culture borrowing elements from their diverse roots.
Our latest print collection takes inspiration from the beautiful tiles in the houses that many Peranakan merchants set up in the trading centres in the region.
There is a vast array of motifs seen in the tiles including but not limited to
- · Lots of florals with each type of flower usually having a particular significance
- · Birds and winged creatures some of them mythical
- · Other living creatures considered auspicious
- · Geometric Patterns
- · European Inspired Art Nouveau patterns
We chose the rose pattern for one of our designs. Roses symbolize love, beauty and longevity. When depicted as a pair they additionally depict interdependence, balance and harmony, a symbolism we truly love and this gave birth to our Twin Rose Peranakan Block Print.
Just like merchants of yore who created the Peranakan culture our Twin Rose PeranakanTile Print is syncretic too: Designed in Singapore, Inspired by Asia, Crafted and Hand Blocked in India for the world
Currently, The Twin Rose Peranakan Block Print is available in turquoise paired with pink – a bit like the colourful Peranakan shop houses we see and pretty peranakan pottery. You can see this fabric in our Emerald Hill Tiered Block Printed Skirt here
https://artful-house.com/products/emerald-hill-tiered-skirt-turquoise-pink
Artful House Block Print : Joo Chiat Geometric
Our 2nd pattern in this collection is the Joo Chiat Geometric. Geometric patterns in the Peranakan tiles have Art Nouveau influences imported from Europe. For our pattern we created a repeat design of petals with a diamond in the centre similar to a pattern we’ve seen in Peranakan wall panels. Tiled Corridors and floors in Shophouses also exhibit beautiful geometric patterns which inspire us. Geometric repeat patterns in general also represent balance and harmony.
The Joo Chiat Geometric is currently available in the Turquoise Tile palette. We can’t wait to share with you more palettes.
Find our block print apparels using these heritage inspired designs here :
https://artful-house.com/products/brompton-top-turquoise-tile
https://artful-house.com/products/emerald-hill-tiered-skirt-turquoise-pink