Fashion flashback: When the kebaya got a 1960s makeover – as seen on Her World covers

Before The Little Nyonya and Emerald Hill made it famous, 1960s Singaporean women – like designer-model Vickie Dutton – were already giving the sarong kebaya a chic modern spin

By Her World - 21 Oct 2025

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Long before the sarong kebaya became a pop culture sensation through TV hits like The Little Nyonya and Emerald Hill, Singaporean women of the 1960s were already reinventing the traditional dress – a beloved staple across Southeast Asia – with modern flair and confidence.

Among them was fashion designer and model Vickie Dutton, a regular contributor to Her World’s fashion pages. She reimagined the sarong kebaya, blending influences from the cheongsam, sari, and Filipiniana terno while introducing Western cuts and silhouettes.

The sarong need not always be made from batik as Vicki Dutton demonstrates. Here she wears an outfit especially chosen for the modern Malayan miss. Cut from cool, crush-resistant linen, the kebaya is snuggly fitted with collarless neckline and the knee in front. Over one hip is draped an apron-like panel, edged with a wool fringe. The apron is embroidered with black and white wool flowers, as are the skirt slit, neckline and cuffs. For extra glamour, there is a wide black chiffon bow at the waist. — Vickie Dutton shows that the sarong need not be batik. Her modern linen kebaya features a collarless neckline, embroidered floral details, and a fringed apron panel draped over one hip – finished with a statement black chiffon bow at the waist
Photo: The Straits Times

A model in a sarong & kebaya designed by Vicki Dutton. — *A model in a sarong and kebaya designed by Vicki Dutton*
Photo: The Straits Times

The sarong kebaya was also a signature look of the late Puan Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore’s first President Yusof Ishak. She was often photographed at state events wearing the traditional ensemble with a selendang – a long, narrow cloth draped elegantly over her shoulders.

The newly installed Yang di-Petuan Negara, Inche Yusof Ishak and his wife Che Nooraisha attend the first Aneka Ragam Surat-Surat Khabar at the Happy World Stadium. (Yusof Ishak, Puan Nooraisha, Othman Wok) — *President Yusof Ishak and his wife, Puan Noor Aishah, attend the first Aneka Ragam Surat-Surat Khabar at Happy World Stadium*
Photo: The Straits Times

Model Chan Mei Ling or Mei Melina Chan posing in a sarong kebaya designed by Roland Chow. — *Model Chan Mei Ling wears a sarong kebaya designed by Roland Chow – Singapore’s “Mr Dior” of the 1960s and 1970s, and a regular contributor to Her World’s fashion pages*
Photo: The Straits Times

So iconic is the kebaya that it was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024 – following a joint nomination by Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

Given its cultural significance and embodiment of the modern Southeast Asian woman, it’s little wonder that the kebaya graced numerous Her World covers throughout the 1960s – the decade the magazine was launched. Below are some of our favourite looks from the archives.