Talking about batik, one would never forget the role of late batik maestro Iwan Tirta. He was the first Indonesian designer who brought batik to the international stage. I met him a few months before he passed away. At the moment, he had just recovered from a mild stroke. He was using a cane for walking, but he was in high spirit when the discussion was on batik.
He was very concerned about how people interpreted batik nowadays. He said that batik was already beautiful, so brides did not need to wear ankle-length kebaya as it would conceal the beauty of the batik. He was also against the usage of sequins and crystals on batik.
His last designs were a collection of colorful batik using pesisiran (coastal area) pattern.
"The market here likes colorful batik, that's why pesisiran pattern is now basking in the lime light," he said, smiling.
Designer Iwan Tirta (in white batik shirt) with models wearing his designs
one of his last designs
What about you? What is your favorite batik pattern?
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