Av Pak

Av Pak (Khmer: អាវប៉ាក់, also pronounced Aao Pak) is a traditional blouse-dress worn by women in Cambodia. It’s literal translation is embroidery shirt in English.The blouse shared many attributes with the Kebaya blouse-dress of Indonesia, including the elaborate embroidered gold-threads used in formal versions of the Kebaya. It is usually worn with the Sampot Hol,[1]a garment worn around the lower body which sometimes uses a more formal and elegant gold thread in the Khmer tradition. However, the Sarong is still frequently used with the Av Pak by ethnic Chams and Javanese in the poor and rural parts of the country.

Av Pak
A red blouse embroidered in gold thread, Av Pak is now a popular style in Khmer fashion
TypeTraditional Blouse-dress
MaterialSilk, cotton
Place of originCambodia

The Khmer people consider the Av Pak to be a classic yet modern suit-dress which uses traditional Cambodian embroidery. In the 21st century, the blouse has come to be considered the national garment of Cambodia. Traditional upper garments have lost their popularity among Cambodian women. The Av Bopock, a tube shirt or tube dress is too closely associated with the Cham people, an ethnic minority in Cambodia[2] and the Sabai, a shawl-like shoulder wrap dating back to the Khmer Empire era, is now considered too immodest because of the thin cloth used in the garment and the style of baring one shoulder when wearing the Sabai.[3]

  • A Traditional Fashion Runway of Cambodia, joined by several models in the costume worn during Lovek period. In the photo, The Lady at the left behind the man, is worn as the earliest form of Av Pak with Chang Kben.
  • Khmer modern style blouse
  • Six favorite court lady of king Sisowath worn different forms of Kebaya influenced. From left to right, the first two worn the Form of Av Pak, followed by one worn Av Sarabap with the next two were in Nyonya Kebaya influenced, Av Tneal Pkal and ends with one was sitting in her beautiful Av Sarabap.

See also

References
  1. Reflections of a Khmer Soul By Navy Phim, p. 52
  2. Seams of Change, by Reyum p. 25
  3. Seams of Change, by Reyum p. 71
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