The scene immediately attracted departing and arriving passengers, who flocked over to watch and take pictures.

“I had just landed when I saw this. Of course, I won’t miss it because I don’t need to go somewhere else to enjoy a fashion show like,” arriving passenger Nabila Afifah from Medan, North Sumatra, told The Jakarta Post as she was taking pictures of the show last Friday.

She expressed her appreciation for the event, saying it allowed visitors like her to get a closer look at Yogyakarta’s batik as soon as they arrived in the city, which is also known as a batik city.

“It turns out batik really looks good on young people,” said Nabila, who had a three-day transit in Yogyakarta on her way to a university student meeting in Surabaya, East Java.

Held under the title “Jogja Millennial Batik for the World”, the fashion show was held as part of the celebrations to observe National Batik Day, which fell on Oct. 2.

“Batik is modern and we have to be proud of it,” said designer Yunet of Yunet Exclusive Batik, whose collection was presented at the show.

Twenty designs were prepared for the show, which featured modern and traditional looks developed from the classic parang motif.

Yunet, who is a member of the Indonesia Halal Tourism Association’s (PPHI) Yogyakarta branch, said the show’s theme was “Powerful and Colorful”. The association coorganized the show with state-run airport operator company PT Angkasa Pura I.

Look at me: A model displays a batik collection during a fashion show held at Adisutjipto International Airport in Sleman, Yogyakarta. (Courtesy of PPHI Yogyakarta/-)

The event’s coordinator, Erwan Widyarto, said Adisutjipto International Airport was the world’s gateway to Yogyakarta, with domestic and foreign tourists alike arriving in the city by air, making it the right place to promote batik and educate people on the latest in batik and fashion.

“This way we take part in preserving our internationally renowned cultural legacy,” said Erwan.

The show was held on Friday, as it is the busiest time at the airport.

In addition to the fashion show, the airport also provided a booth where people could learn to make batik.

Erwan expressed hope the event could help preserve batik as Indonesia’s cultural heritage by educating young people about the batik-making process.

PPHI Yogyakarta chairman Taufik Ridwan said the organization planned to hold the event annually. “In December this year, we also plan to have a similar event at the Yogyakarta International Airport, featuring 100 models,” he said, referring to the newly opened airport in Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta.

Adisutjipto International Airport general manager Agus Pandu Purnama said the event was aimed at promoting batik as cultural heritage as well as the tourism potential of Yogyakarta, the country’s second most popular tourist destination after Bali.

“Hopefully, every visitor recognizes batik as part of the country’s cultural identity and as Yogyakarta’s signature,” Agus said. (ste)