Malaysian Batik Voyagers Fong Wai Ling Speaks to Some of Malaysia’S Prominent Designers About the Waves They Are Making on the Global Fashion Scene Using Batik
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Malaysian Batik Voyagers Fong Wai Ling speaks to some of Malaysia’s prominent designers about the waves they are making on the global fashion scene using batik. And who's that voyager who took our batik into space? Dato’ Tom Abang Saufi side instead of the management side of the business. A strong identity wins ardent fans in London Dato’ Tom has had to defy impediments by learning and Europe the ropes from scratch. She credits much of her suc- cess to her friends and family who have been a It was familiarity that prompted Sarawakian Dato’ Tom tremendous help along the way. Even shoe maestro, Abang Saufi (the Datoship was appropriately con- Datuk Jimmy Choo, proposed the location for the ferred on her in the past year by the state of Pahang) store. to set up her boutique in London. Aside from her days "There were just so many things to learn and it’s as a student in the London School of Fashion, many tough. For example, hidden costs that can easily be of Dato’ Tom’s family reside in London – including her overlooked, the high rent – and marketing batik to an daughter – which makes London the perfect site for international market!" her first retail store out of Malaysia. The batik that she sells in London is mainly resort Nestled in the high fashion district of Connaught wear – clothes that exude bright and warm colours, Village, Dato’ Tom’s boutique sits on the same street light fabrics and bold patterns. They quickly garnered as Armani, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Chanel and other lux- the attention of Londoners, especially in the summer ury brand names on Connaught Street, London. months. Tourists from the Middle East are also fast Although it’s been only eight months since the spreading her name and European buyers have business started, there’s already a steady fan base of broached the idea of tapping further into the customers flocking to her boutique. Dato’ Tom European market by bringing her batik designs into believes that it is her involvement with Asia House, a department stores or distributing it through other non-profit organization that promotes Asian culture channels. In fact, the idea of being represented by and heritage in London, that helps promote her in the different agents thrills Dato’ Tom even more as she UK market. feels her brand is able to reach more people in this Setting up her boutique has been the biggest chal- manner instead of just having a stand alone boutique. lenge for her – especially as she prefers the creative "Batik is an Asian heritage. Even more, it provides 52 BATIK GUILD MAGAZINE "I once had a fashion buyer from Gucci stop by the boutique who commented that batik designs are clever and adaptable in the sense that it is wear-friendly and that, to me, is valid testimony that batik has a lot of potential to flourish in the international market," – Dato’ Tom Abang Saufi a profound identity for us Malaysians. Thus, using batik in my designs is only natural as this is my iden- tity," says Dato' Tom when asked why batik remains her favourite fabric. The designer prefers using batik because of the control she is able to exude over it, calling batik, "an amazing medium where art and craft comes together." "I once had a fashion buyer from Gucci stop by the boutique who commented that batik designs are clever and adaptable in the sense that it is wear- friendly and that, to me, is valid testimony that batik has a lot of potential to flourish in the international market," Dato’ Tom shared. "The future of batik is going to be exciting. There are so many opportunities for us if local batik makers first learn to improvise on the production of batik. People around the world are now championing the environment. If we can produce batik using eco- friendly methods, we will definitely garner the world’s attention," said Dato’ Tom, speaking with enthusiasm about the future of batik. Speaking to Dato' Tom in mid-November, she said: "My shop has been open nearly a year now. Spring and Summer were great but winter was difficult and does not justify the monthly upkeep. It's been a learning curve." Nevertheless, the exposure has been good for her brand. "There are shops outside London willing to take my label and we are working on stores like Selfridges taking my products as well. Once I establish other distribution channels I will probably close the stand alone shop. It's way too expensive and I am here in Malaysia a lot of the time. But there are people in Miami and the Middle East interested in it. I have been invited to do a batik show in Palm Beach and Miami in January 2008 by a fashion socialite who saw my products in London as well." As Dato’ Tom shares her experience on being a designer, she advises that young batik designers should first discover their identity and harness it locally before venturing abroad. "Opportunities abound when you are good at something. Discover your own mode first and then, when you are present- ing your work internationally, you will know how important your identity can be because people identi- fy you through your designs no matter how varied they are." BATIK GUILD MAGAZINE 53 Dato’ Bernard Chandran Concentration, Consistency and Cooperation will win the day There has been no stopping designer Dato’ Bernard Chandran ever since he established his boutique in Knightsbridge, London, back in January 2004. As we corresponded via e-mail, Dato’ Bernard Chandran was showcasing his label at London Fashion Week 2007. London is a pit stop for this renowned fashion designer who is already a household name in our country. "For two years in London, we researched and studied the market, as we see London as a truly cos- mopolitan city and very much a foundation of fash- ion. It is edgy and there is a great freedom of artistic expression. Just being there has given me great moti- vation and a fresh perspective on creativity," Dato’ Bernard said when asked why he chose London. London did well by him – his Autumn/Winter 2005-2006 ready-to-wear collection was a huge suc- cess and his designs spearheaded the London fashion scene that season. Since then, there has been no turning back. Dato’ Bernard’s latest collection to grace the London runway, Petang Raya 07/08, has received very positive feedback. With this collection, Dato’ Bernard transposes batik with an edgy and modern twist. "I gave my own interpretation to batik, by mak- ing use of the batik cloth and changing the texture, by pleating it. The result – an urban feel that is both smart and chic." "For batik to shine in the international scene, local designers have to first embrace change in the way we perceive batik," explains Dato’ Bernard. He believes batik has a lot of potential and may even one day be one of the main exports of Malaysia in the same way that textiles and fashion are to coun- tries like Italy, Paris and London. "Batik will always have our country’s acceptance. But we have got to embrace change in the way we perceive it. In order for the world to utilise our batik, it must first be relevant to current fashion trends. We must get away from just perceiving it as a traditional material or craft. The designs, the colour palette must match the latest season. And it should not just be confined to fish, nature and flower motifs. While those are very unique, they may not be what the world wants," he explains. 54 BATIK GUILD MAGAZINE "We should Concentrate in our areas of work and see how we can improve every time and outdo ourselves each season; monitor the Consistency in the quality, design, end products and supply; and Cooperate amongst each other in the industry to elevate the local batik industry to the next level." – Dato’ Bernard Chandran Dato’ Bernard also believes that the local batik industry has to be mobilised to be more forward look- ing and be in line with the world’s fashion capitals. For the batik industry to bring itself forward, Dato’ Bernard cites the 3Cs – Concentration, Consistency and Cooperation. "We should Concentrate in our areas of work and see how we can improve every time and outdo our- selves each season; monitor the Consistency in the quality, design, end products and supply; and Cooperate amongst each other in the industry to ele- vate the local batik industry to the next level." Bernard has great respect for the late Datin Paduka Seri Endon and admires the work that she has done for the local batik industry. "What the late Datin Seri Endon did was excellent. For example, she invited fashion experts from Italy, London and Paris to fuse in the quality and bench- mark that will go towards making world-class quality batik. The Piala Seri Endon will also be able to encourage batik designers to perceive batik as more than just a cottage industry. It brings out the bigger potential of batik." Dato’ Bernard Chandran believes in passion and encourages all young batik designers to believe in their work and most importantly, be passionate about it. "Be genuine about it and eventually it will become wealth." BATIK GUILD MAGAZINE 55 MELVIN LAM exclusively for the Miss Malaysia/World 2007. Dress fit for a (Beauty) Queen? "It was not hard at all because Deborah has every designer’s dream figure and height. I had her in mind Pretty Deborah Priya Henry, the newly-crowned Miss when I designed it and the gown was meant to accen- Malaysia/World 2007 will be representing the country tuate her figure," designer Lam is reported as saying in the Miss World competition set to take place in in the Star, 27 September 2007.