Batik City Takes On Modernity

Hoping to snatch public attention again, less than a month after the 2009 Solo Batik Carnival, this past weekend hundreds of batik outfits were displayed on an open catwalk on Solo’s main street, Jalan Diponegoro, during the city’s first Solo Batik Fashion Show.

The city of Solo, home to the palaces of two ancient kingdoms, hopes to build on the attention batik has been getting globally since the collection of Ann Dunham — the late mother of US President Barack Obama — was shown in Chicago earlier this year, and in other US cities through August.


“Don’t let us lose the momentum,” said Solo Mayor Joko Widodo, “especially when Malaysia and other countries are eager to claim batik as theirs. Solo must remain the center for batik.”

For the fashion show, the patio of Windu Jenar Market — usually visited by foreign tourists in search of antiquities — was converted into a makeshift catwalk on which the creations of six designers from Solo and one from Yogyakarta were displayed.

The designers — Eko Sudarmanto, Rorry Wardana, Joko Budi Santosa, Lalan Suwarno, Joko Widiarto and Jongko Raharjo from Solo, and Nita Ashar from Yogyakarta — created contemporary pieces using hand-drawn batik patterns from both of Solo’s palaces, Surakartan and Mangkunegaran.

They also collaborated with local batik craftsmen Gunawan Setiawan from Kauman Batik Tourism Kampong and Alpha Febela Priyatmono from Laweyan Batik Tourism Kampong.

Thousands of people attended the show, coming not only from Solo and surrounding cities, but also from overseas.

“I happened to be here on vacation. Next week, I will leave for Bali,” said Patrick Adam, from Australia. He had cancelled a planned climb of Lawu Mountain to attend the show.

For the event, the designers were encouraged to experiment with Solo’s traditional batik patterns — more than 500 of which have been registered by the city government.

Designer Joko paired a 50-year-old batik parang (a popular design featuring a sword pattern) from his personal collection with a modern kebaya.

“Usually, batik parang godong , parang curigo gede , parang nogorojo and parang gondo kusumo could only be worn inside the palace,” he said.

Designer Jongko, who has created pieces for the reigning Miss Indonesias to wear in the Miss World and Miss Universe competitions for the last three years, created a batik cocktail dress. “I picked the theme of sexy and glamorous batik,” he said. “Suitable for all occasions.”

Rorry applied batik patterns to bell-shaped skirts.

“Batik does not always have to be displayed fully as a piece of cloth,” he said. “It can also be used to accentuate. This is a modern approach. Although it is doesn’t follow customary application, the result is still catchy and liked by people who ignore batik custom usage.”

For traditional batik craftsman Alpha, such creativity should not be restrained, as long as the designers remain aware of the textile’s customary roots.

“Now is not like before,” he said.

“We face a new age. It takes a new way for batik to be accepted by people, especially youths. They live in the era of T-shirts, jeans and mini skirts.”

Mayor Joko said the recent shows were opportunities for the city to become better known as a batik center, while staying inside the corridor of tradition.

“Solo will never be like Bandung or Bali, he said.

“And we should never make Solo like that. We must be ourselves and stay on track as batik city.”