Quiksilver, who is famous for its surf-wear, also took part in celebrating the national batik day last month by launching its exclusive line of Quiksilver batik. It was interesting to see how the normally formal batik is mixed and styled in a casual way. One piece that really caught my eyes were the shirt with blue batik prints. I like how contemporary it looks and thanks to a good friend, I got the shirt. Hooray!!! It fits amazingly well and I've been wearing it to the office occasionally ever since.
If you miss this year's Quiksilver Batik Exhibition, don't worry. The exhibitions have become an annual event for Quiksilver and are usually held in Pondok Indah Mall 1, Jakarta and Paris Van Java Mall, Bandung during the national batik month. So be sure to check it out. The ladies of course, have not been forgotten. Roxy also released an exclusive batik collections for women. Both collections are available in adult's sizes as well as kid's. I just can't wait for the next year collections. I'm sure it's gonna be as cool as this year's and you bet your ass I'm gonna grab me some of those.
FYI, do you know that there are many kinds of batik? First, there is the "Pesisir Batik" which is created by several areas on the northern coast of Java and Madura. As a consequence of maritime trading, Pesisir Batik tradition was more open to foreign influence. For example, Pesisir Batik utilizes Chinese motifs such as clouds, phoenix, also various flora and fauna images.
The second one is "Ekletik Batik" whose motifs and colors are inspired by Polynesian design and art. Ekletik Batik uses materials with modern coloring process. The designs and varieties also follow today's trend. Ekletik Batik has more varieties of prints such as animal, floral, or other objects, however the print itself doesn't have any symbolic meaning and doesn't refer to any region.
The third one is "Modern Batik" which still have strong ties with traditional batik and tend to rely on the rules of the guidelines as traditional craftsmen. This was also seen in the use of colors and shapes that modern designers are using. Modern Batik today still uses the motifs of leaves, flowers, and birds as the red line of theme in each visual.
Lastly, there is the "Le Kawoeng Batik". Kawung itself is a kind of palm tree that has ellipse-shaped fruit named "Kolang Kaling". The ornament consists of four circles in the middle that symbolizes four sources of energy surrounding the center of power. East is the direction of sunrise, the symbol of life essence. North is the direction of mountain, symbol of god's dwelling. West is the direction of sunset, the coming of luck. South is the direction of Zenith, peak of everything. Like a palm tree that can be used from root to leaf, the motif brings hope that the owner is given strength to have a meaningful life.
So, can you guess which type of batik shirt I am wearing in the picture above?
