Under the Balinese sun, artisans decorate lengths of fabric using a traditional batik technique developed in the coastal town of Lasem on the neighboring island of Java. Lasem is known for centuries of cross-cultural exchange and immigration with China, and bright red colors are typical of Lasem batik, as seen in this reversible jacket. Lightly quilted and fully finished with pockets and frog closures on both sides. Reverses to a rich aubergine (see above). Golden batik-dyed floral patterns grace both sides. Please accept slight variations due to the nature of the dyeing process.
Hand-dyed in Indonesia. 100% rayon. Women’s sizes S (4–6), M (8–10), L (12–14), XL (16–18), XXL (20).
The wax-resist dyeing technique of batik has been found from Egypt to Mali and from India to Malaysia, as early as 2,000 years ago.
The most traditional form of batik begins with a needle-like object called a canting, through which melted wax flows as the artists uses it to draw a design or pattern on fabric. When the fabric is placed in a dye vat, the color will not permeate the areas that have been permeated with wax. For more complex patterns, this wax and dye process can be repeated with any number of dye colors. After the final dip into the dye vat, the fabric is hung to dry and the wax is dissolved in a solvent or melted away with a hot iron, revealing the previous layers of protected fabric as well as the crackling lines that are the hallmark of batik.
In the 20th century, Javanese batik artists developed a process by which batik could be executed more quickly, but still by hand. Now, a copper block is often used to transfer wax in a predetermined pattern over a larger area.
