Style Bites: Centuries-old art form is hotter than its wax

Sun, 05/18/2008 10:48 AM | Lifestyle

DIAZ: (Courtesy of Diaz) DIAZ: (Courtesy of Diaz)

Want to know what's in right at this very moment? I am proud to announce it's batik.

That's right ladies and gents, batik is hot, hot, hot -- featuring in the collections of both local and international niche designers, as well as in shopping malls, from the upmarket ones to the ordinary old ITC.

I even caught some fashion designers browsing for material in Pasar Klewer in Solo, where all kinds of cheap batik is sold. Gotcha!

Why has it suddenly become so hot? Will the trend last? As Project Runway hostess-with-the-mostess Heidi Klum likes to say: "In fashion, one day you're in, and one day you're outch (out)".

Batik has been around forever in Indonesia. We're not here to discuss the fabric's history, nor the way in which it is made. If you want batik facts and figures, your best bet is Google, thank you very much.

People of my generation and younger still associate batik with the serious, formal, super-traditional outfits that were worn by our parents, uncles, aunts and grannies at weddings, or to sleep in -- we call them daster!

Every Friday was batik day at school. We had to wear it as part of our SD, SMP or SMA uniform. We had no idea why. The point is, we crossed our hearts and hoped to die if we ever wore batik as adults, on any occasion.

The Danar Hadi batik factory: Courtesy of Diaz

Let's go back a couple of months ago when there were "issues" between this country and a neighboring country over the right to certain cultural symbols.

What we must be proud of, and learn from this catastrophe, is the fact that deep inside, most Indonesians are patriotic and strongly against our neighboring country's claim about batik's origin.

Some of us took our protest to the streets, some of us became more aware of the artistic value of batik, and some of us gave the fabric our undivided creative attention.

In the old days, a batik maker would spend up to a year executing their design on plain material, depending on its complexity and the number of colors used. They would decide also which motifs to use according to the purpose of making the batik. This is art from the soul!

When I visited the batik factory of Danar Hadi in Solo last month, I was totally amazed by the long process of making it. Every single dot and line is created carefully, harmoniously. From a draft on paper to be transferred on fabric, followed by tracing, all the way to waxing and dyeing.

And this is done by the hundreds of people who have been patiently and faithfully working with the company for long periods of time. Some of them have been working there for nearly 40 years! Really, the efforts and dedication of these batik makers could make your heart of stone turn into a ball of putty within a couple of seconds!

Today, new techniques in making batik, such as printing and stamping, allow for greater freedom of expression, as well as making prices more affordable, for most people.

But mainly thanks to the designers who have reinvented this traditional textile using new shapes, cuts, silhouettes, colors, and combinations, now it is hard to imagine batik ever growing stale. Especially when there are so many fresher, younger, even "happier" and more relaxed designs in front of you.

And not just one or two, the majority of today's fashionistas have a number of batik pieces in their wardrobes.

Sadly, I still don't think batik suits me -- but what can I do! I bought my first piece in Solo as a present for my mum.

So did you unconsciously just buy a new batik outfit recently? Nationalism or simply following the crowd?

-- Diaz

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