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Jakarta Post

Indonesia Fashion Week: Batik, liberated

Glorious style: Models present a collection from Balinese designer Tjok Abi during the Gianyar Cultural Wonders show on the main stage of Indonesia Fashion Week 2016 at the Jakarta Convention Center on Saturday

Yuliasri Perdani (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sun, March 13, 2016

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Indonesia Fashion Week: Batik, liberated  Glorious style: Models present a collection from Balinese designer Tjok Abi during the Gianyar Cultural Wonders show on the main stage of Indonesia Fashion Week 2016 at the Jakarta Convention Center on Saturday.(JP/Jerry Adiguna) (JP/Jerry Adiguna)

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span class="inline inline-center">Glorious style: Models present a collection from Balinese designer Tjok Abi during the Gianyar Cultural Wonders show on the main stage of Indonesia Fashion Week 2016 at the Jakarta Convention Center on Saturday.(JP/Jerry Adiguna)

Although exploration in batik patterns has already been going on, especially during the past decade, there is no limitation when it comes to creativity. A number of designers proved just that on the runways of Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) on Saturday.  

Held at the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, South Jakarta, the third day of the IFW saw designer Michelle Tjokrosaputro of Bateeq presenting a dazzling casual clothing collection embellished with patterns.

At first glance, there was no sight of the traditional, commonly complicated batik motifs in the designs. They boasted simple shapes like orange triangles and wavy lines, as well as bold bright colors that at some point resembled African patterns.

Only after we looked closer could we see the intricate patterns that drew inspiration from Bali'€™s wavy rang-rang pattern, Java'€™s truntum (jasmine bud) pattern, which symbolized unconditional love, and other traditional batik motifs.

'€œOur patterns for the collection are inspired by batik motifs. We mainly printed the motifs,'€ said Michelle, who manages Bateeq stores in 20 cities in Indonesia.

The refreshing creations could also be found in Linda Sudarsono'€™s collection of elegant print dresses. Some V-neck dresses beautifully highlighted birds flying among the blue and white clouds of the mega mendung pattern.

Linda delicately fused Western and traditional styles by constructing a dress with an elegant high-low skirt with an inner skirt of brown batik wrap '€“ reminding us of the traditional way of using a batik cloth.

Novita Yunus, under the flag of Batik Chic, took a minimalistic approach by using batik patterns on the crop tops, obi belts and bags of her ready-to-wear collection.

The IFW exhibition area proved to be a great place for batik lovers. Visitors could easily find batik dresses and clothing at every turn in the spacious area. Galeri Batik Jawa, for example, offered blue batik shirts naturally dyed using Indigofera tinctoria from indigo leaves, priced at about Rp 1 million (US$77). Those with limited budgets could still find a number of other booths that offered more affordable pieces.

Also on Saturday, the IFW presented a unique Bali-inspired fashion show called '€œGianyar Cultural Wonders'€, which was participated in by bintang mirA, Tjok Abi and Tude Togok. Designer Anniesa Hasibuan, who presented her work at the Couture Fashion Week New York last month, presented her Muslim bridal collection later in the evening.

The fifth IFW will be concluded on Sunday with 10 fashion shows, including a show called '€œMetamorfosis Tanimbar'€, in which renowned designers Itang Yunasz, Samuel Wattimena, Chossy Latu, Danjyo Hiyoji and Poppy Dharsono are to give their fashionable interpretations of the cultural heritage of Tanimbar, a little island in Maluku.

 The Sunday show is to wrap up with '€œCo[L]ordination'€, a collaboration of new makeup series by Wardah and the fashion collections of Barli Asmara, Mel Ahyar and Indonesia'€™s popular Muslim-wear designer, Dian Pelangi.

'€” Photos by Jerry Adiguna

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