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From breaking records to fashion week: Palembang tie-dye fabrics make marks
With appearances at Palembang Fashion Week and a recent official event, tie-dye fabrics from Palembang are becoming more popular.
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A 1.175 kilometer tie-dye fabric was held along the Ampera Bridge in Palembang, South Sumatra, to welcome President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo on March 9. (JP/Yulia Savitri)
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tie-dye fabric 1.175 kilometers in length was held along the Ampera Bridge to welcome President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in Palembang, South Sumatra, on Saturday.
Adorned with 300 motifs, the fabric was held by dozens of students, as well as police and Indonesian Military (TNI) officers. It broke a record at the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) for being the longest tie-dye fabric.
Jokowi was scheduled to attend the declaration of the South Sumatra Millennial Road Safety Festival in Palembang on Saturday. The festival aimed to spread awareness among millennials about the importance of safety while driving.
On the bridge, Jokowi looked at the fabric up close. Hundreds of people followed him closely for a chance to take selfies.
Read also: Preserving the weaving legacy
Hermansyah Bastari, head of the Palembang branch of the Young Indonesian Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI), said making the fabric involved 40 tailors who worked for 10 days. “We are proud to present a local product in an event attended by the President,” he said.
Palembang tie-dye fabrics have started to become popular in the last few years and are on par with the famed Palembang songket (traditional gold-threaded woven fabric). The fabrics are also popular among fashion designers, as apparent in Palembang Fashion Week, held from Feb. 27 to March 10.
Young designer Rahma Ivani featured tie-dye in her recent creations, fused with pastel colors. Designer Lili of the Danisa Indonesia brand put her own unique spin on the art form, combining tie-dye with denim.
“I believe that fashion trends with tie-dye will always flourish, as long as the designers innovate. I chose denims [mixed with tie-dye] to encourage young people to wear products from their own region,” Lili told The Jakarta Post. (wng)
