Av Pak is a traditional blouse-dress worn by women in Cambodia. The name literally translates as embroideryshirt. The blouse has much in common 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,, 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. The Khmer people consider the Av Pak to be a modern classical 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 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.
History
Av Pak was influenced from the Kebaya of Indonesia in the way of its decoration, materials and style, followed the original craft from its origin. No trace had been found if this blouse was invented during Angkor period due to most Angkorian always had top exposed. period. In the photo, The Lady at the left behindthe man, is worn as the earliest form of Av Pak with Chang Kben. Av Pak was look forward to introduced at the late of Chatomok era and heavily import to the country in the Flourish of Lovek region between the 14th and 15th centuries. The main premise is said to the Porttrading between Cambodia and Majapahit kingdom came to its peak. The costume also associated with Muslim one by one when The Fall of Champa, left thousand of Cham people to settle down in Cambodia, brought with them their Craft, Art and especially Embroidery, the main skill for producing each Av Pak. As its illustration that the clothing of the country during Lovek period was on the Java wave concluded on the main fashion such as Av Bopock. Their Kebaya had its greater to Cambodian Clothing at that times but unlike them, The influenced of Kebaya to Cambodian's shirt was not combination but separated to their own in three main difference which Av Pak was among the one. The Kebeya which introduced to The Khmer court, worn usually by the primary Queen was baju kebaya, transformed to Av Sarabap as its material was Sampot Charabap with the same decoration style along the Pleat. Another form was "nyonya kebaya" which its arrival to Cambodia came from Portuguese adventurers in the late 16th century. This Style had changed to Khmer version known as Av Tneal Pkal according to its Pleat was on the fringle like flower up from Collar to the end of shirt. Finally, popular Av Pak had its origin from The Kebaya worn in Java, Bali and Sunda which retained strongly on Embroidery like Av Pak. The Earliest Av Pak in Cambodia was the white shirt with the long arm but no pleat like T-shirt with the whole part of clothes were in Embroidery upon the Silk, a bit similar to the Sweater. It usually worn by rich lady but as Began in Embroidery, most of blouse part were Slender, easily to show skin. So The Part from Chest to Stomach always embroidered very tangle, attachable and narrow to known that this part was not showing skin. However, to be more conscientiously kept their title, the lady usually used an expensive fabric in Pidan for more wealthy, wrapped around their chest hold with gold or silver pin at the top of its joint. This original forms then transfer to had Pleat at the front like Kebaya for decreased its too body-hugging and more formal for old lady to worn it when took offering to Pagoda. The Av Pak then lost its reputation during the next period due to the war and influenced from Siam and Vietnam in forcing. During Cambodia Colonial of France, The first photographic evidence of Av Pak had found, showed Court ladys of king Sisowath, worn those three form of Kebaya influenced. With six of them, each two worn one style. The Av Pak, the two lady worn may have been influenced from Europe according to the bloat short arm. Either than them, Nobody known to worn the Shirt. However, The Countrysider still installed The Pleat Av Pak into Their livelihood's clothing in some formal day. After Post-Independence Cambodia, Av Pak had survived, worn by an actress in their Delegation on some special occasion but it led no famous among its female wearer, defeated by a popular fashion of that era were the brassiere which developed into the amount of model. However, After the fall of Khmer Rouge, in late 20th century and early 21st century, The Av Pak had introduced strongly to public after an Unknown Tailor had brought an Av Pak into a cultural show. Becoming The golden age of Av Pak, all form of the blouse from the ex period had revived in the same times convert itself into the huge number of fashion styles, listed about all tailors house in the country already respect Av Pak into their sewing and Already made dress job. Today, Av Pak has the important role in Fashion for worn on special occasions, traditional festivals and some cultural show.
