Cultural couture: Rakiba (right) and Wong posing for a picture while wearing mamianquns.
Attendees try on attire dating back 700 years at International Women’s Day event
JOHOR BARU: What first caught Rakiba Haydar Lucky’s eye was the skirt’s red and yellow floral print on a backdrop of deep blue long pleats that was different from the sarees of her homeland, Bangladesh.
Despite being apprehensive at first, Rakiba was so taken by its beauty that she decided to try on the “mamianqun”, a skirt worn by Chinese women that dates back more than 700 years to the Song dynasty.
When she tried it on, the 30-year-old was amazed at how comfortable and easy it was to move about in.
“My friend explained to me that the skirt’s design dates back to the Song dynasty. It is unlike any item of clothing I have seen before, and it is completely different from the traditional saree we wear in Bangladesh, which is heavier and made up of three pieces of clothing.
“The one-piece mamianqun has a lot of pleats and it is easy for the wearer to move in. No wonder women back in the day wore it for horse riding,” she said of the mamianqun, which literally translates to “horse-face skirt.”
Rakiba got the chance to wear the mamianqun at a small gathering in celebration of International Women’s Day organised by a friend in Johor Baru recently, which saw many of its women attendees trying on mamianquns.
“At first I did not want to attend the event... I am glad that my friend persuaded me to tag along because I would not have had the chance to try on such a beautiful skirt,” she told The Star.
“After posting photos on social media, many of my friends and family back in Bangladesh asked me about it, while some also asked where they could purchase the skirt,” the housewife added.
The event’s organiser Wong Kim Ching had chosen the mamianqun as the theme for her gathering because the skirt garnered popularity recently when an international fashion brand launched a similar design.
“I took the opportunity to share the beauty of the skirt and its historical significance with other women in conjunction with International Women’s Day.
“Although the skirt dates back to the Song dynasty, it only gained popularity in the Ming dynasty in the 1300s.
“The skirt is usually adorned with floral print or elements of nature such as mountains, rivers and cranes,” she added.
The informal event was for her direct-selling clients and friends to socialise and share their interest in traditional Chinese culture, Wong said.
During the get-together, the attendees had the chance to try on different skirt designs and share food.
Rakiba, who moved to Johor Baru about two years ago, said she enjoyed learning about the mamianqun at the event as she is interested in other cultures.
“I stay with my husband, who works in Singapore, and we have diverse neighbours including South Koreans and Japanese so we get to exchange cultures, especially recipes as I love to cook.
“I recently learned how to make Chinese dumplings and sushi, and I am currently crazy about kimchi so I plan to learn the recipe from my neighbours soon,” she added.
