• Society

Fashion as an Expression of Identity: A Winning Bet for Ahsora World

• By Uth Raksmey
• April 8, 2024 11:55 AM

 

PHNOM PENH – A local fashion company promotes Cambodia’s identity by blending cultural and architectural landmarks on customized colorful shirts and t-shirts. 

Owned by a group of youth, Ahsora World has designed six new shirts to celebrate the Khmer New Year, promoting Cambodian culture, civilization and diversity through clothing.

The shirts show national symbols such as palm leaf hats, romduol flowers, the equinox over Angkor Wat, Ansorm (sticky rice cakes) and Koupreys, a wild bovine from Cambodia believed to be extinct in its natural habitat.

Other designs in Hawaiian-style shirts put on display famous cultural figures – the singer Sinn Sisamouth, the Supreme patriarch Chuan Nath, King Jayavarman VII, King Norodom Sihanouk – or landmarks – the Independence Monument, the Central Market, or Angkor Wat.

Their colorful design and timely release, just ahead of the Buddhist New Year, have given the shirts a lot of attention on social media.

“Our people always have family gatherings during the festival, so they want to wear similar clothes together, especially as they tend to visit cultural and touristic landmarks,” said Pech Pong Ponharith, one of the co-founders of the brand.

“Such designs showcasing the Khmer civilization and art are rare. So we thought it would make our products more appealing to people who want to dress as a group.”

While the fabric is imported, the design, cutting, stitching and printing are all made in Cambodia, Ponharith said. 

He added the mission is to show the country’s culture and diversity of tradition through clothes that have an arty and modern vibe.

Ponharith expects his clothing brand will receive a lot of support from Cambodians and foreigners and hopes it will be able to compete with foreign designers.

Originally written in Khmer for ThmeyThmey, this article was translated by Torn Chanritheara for Cambodianess.