In Trend: MarZthomson’s Peranakan-Inspired Pocket Squares
The multifaceted Peranakan culture has been the source of inspiration for many South-East Asian designers, and Singapore is no different. Being a nation of people that pride ourselves in our food culture, the dwindling number of Peranakan Chinese has not stopped us from falling in love with Peranakan cuisines (often a cross of Chinese and Malay cooking styles).
But it is not just Peranakan food that is intriguing. Their intricate and unmistakable prints are the perfect drawing boards from which a host of beautiful products can be created. From kitchenware and wallpapers to book covers and stationery, menswear had to be next.
The designers of MarZthomson saw the potential in this idea. They understood that as beautiful as Peranakan prints are, wearing them on a shirt, or God-forbid, a suit, is not quite everyone’s cup of tea. Then came the idea to have the Peranakan motifs printed onto a pocket square – just like how the Italians and English immortalise their heritage, a proudly-Singapore menswear brand could, and should, do the same.
Hand-cutting the Phoenix print Peranakan-Inspired Pocket Square
The creation of the first collection of Peranakan-inspired pocket square was a painstaking process that involved visiting the Singapore Peranakan Museum for inspiration and finding a reliable printing partner that would do justice to the prints. During the unveiling of MarZthomson's Peranakan-inspired collection, designer Ms Thio shared that “the challenge was to adapt the Peranakan print into a pocket square. The print had to be visible whether you choose to fold it as a puff or as a fleur; whether against a navy jacket or a beige jacket.”
MarZthomson ensured that the beautiful Peranakan prints remained wearable
From the iconic Phoenix to the mosaic tiles, MarZthomson did well to capture the essence of the Peranakan design without compromising on its wearability. Designed to be a piece of art, the centre of the square is complemented by coloured borders that make the square versatile. Here are some of the mosaic designs that we absolutely love …
Shop MarZthomson’s Peranakan-inspired pocket squares here.