Our Story
Larasé began with a simple realization: the history of Southeast Asian dress deserves to be explored not only through archives, but through the act of making and wearing.
Rooted in historical research, textile study & reconstruction, Larasé investigates garments and the stories they hold. Through surviving pieces, photographs, publications, museum collections & archival records, we study how garments were made, worn & lived in, translating these discoveries into carefully researched patterns & garments that bring historical dress into the present.
Inspiration
We are inspired by the garments, makers, and archives that preserve Southeast Asia’s rich clothing histories.
A garment is more than an object. It is a record of materials, techniques, customs, and the lives of the people who made and wore it. Through close study of historical sources and surviving garments, we examine the details that reveal how these pieces were constructed, worn, and remembered.
Philosophy
We believe historical clothing remains alive when it continues to be studied, made, and worn.
Our approach is grounded in careful reconstruction. We work from historical evidence to understand a garment’s construction, materials, proportions, and details, while remaining attentive to what can and cannot be known from the surviving record.
Our research takes form through digital patterns, limited garments, and research driven publications, creating new ways to encounter historical dress beyond archives and collections.
For us, reconstruction is not about replicating the past perfectly. It is a way of engaging with it through research, making, and continued use.
Founder Perspective
My interest in historical clothing began with a love of vintage fashion. After returning to Indonesia following my studies abroad, I encountered a different fashion history, one in which garments such as the kebaya revealed stories of craftsmanship, identity, and everyday life.
With a background in art history and experience in textile conservation, I came to see garments as more than objects of beauty. They are records of the people, materials, techniques, and histories behind them.
Larasé grew from a desire to investigate these records more closely and to make the histories they contain accessible through research and reconstruction.
Through the studio, I hope to contribute to a deeper understanding of Southeast Asian dress while creating ways for these garments and their stories to continue being studied, made, and worn.
Love,
Bev Tan
Founder