Published on February 28, 2015
The batik collection from Banyuwangi, East Java, – creations by designer Priscilla Saputro, – stole the limelight on the runway of the recent Indonesia Fashion Week last Saturday at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC). Named “Novum Ethno”, the collection boldly carried the Androginic concept, a blend of masculine and feminine elements that clearly expresses gender equality.
Novum, meaning “new” in Latin, expresses the up to date and modern approach to fashion, while the Latin word “Ethno” reflects the strength of traditional ethnic fabrics in Indonesia.
In her latest collection, Priscilla selected 20 batik motifs from the district of Banyuwangi, in the east-most corner of the province of East Java, and created these into 58 dresses. The batiks chosen include the region’s typical traditional motifs such as elephants, watercress plants, coffee beans and other agricultural produce and animals typical to Banyuwangi Batik.
Reflecting the colorful and bright spirit of this destination, her collection shone out bright colors in reds, yellows and greens, that immediately attracted the attention of all those attending including Indonesian and international buyers.
“The Batik from Banyuwangi is the only contemporary batik that still retains its philosophical bacground”, explained Priscilla at the press conference on Novum Ethno at the JCC.
Separately, Regent of Banyuwangi, Abdullah Azwar Anas said that the involvement of the district of Banyuwangi in the Indonesian Fashion Week 2015 is a means to promote Banyuwangi’s creative indistry to the world, and in anticipation of the planned Batik Festival that will take place on 10 October 2015.
We are very serious in bolstering the batik industry of the region so that tourists visiting Banyuwangi will seek Batik Banyuwangi to take home as souvenir, said Abdullah Azwar at a parallel promotion of the Banyuwagni Festival at the Ministry of Tourism Building.
This will be the second time that the Banyuwangi Batik Festival will take place, underlining the commitment of the government and the people of this district to push its rich local cultural heritage. At the Indonesia Fashion Week, Banyuwangi involved local designers, artisans and batik businessmen.
“In Banyuwangi, we envisage that Batik will not only become a visible icon of the region, but that it will also be the people’s pride and will benefit all those involved in the batik industry, since batik today is no longer considered as an old piece of heritage but Batik is now also widely worn as a modern and trendy fabric.
As prime example, Miss Indonesia 2015, Anindya Kusuma Putri, wore a Banyuwangi Batik costume during her participation at the recent Miss Universe 2015 Pageant.
The District of Banyuwangi is the east-most district on the island of Java, located west from the island of Bali, across the Bali Strait.
