This pair of trousers is decorated with various auspicious motifs such as the butterfly, the phoenix and peonies embroidered in gold thread. The butterfly is a symbol for joy, beauty, romance and dreams. Peonies symbolise spring, love, beauty and good fortune while the phoenix can represent beauty, grace, high virtue, the Empress and the bride. Embroidered garments for Peranakan weddings were usually done in China by skilled, professional embroiderers and then exported to their Straits Chinese customers.
