Since Batik has been gaining more exposure followed by ethnic tribal trends and the safari chic look, several designers are using Ikat print in their 2008 Spring Summer collection.
Indonesia has been blessed with a diversity of arts and crafts. Each island archipelago has their own cultural characteristics, their own architecture, handicrafts, music, dialects, foods and finally their very own traditional textiles, like Songket, Ulos, Ikat, and many others that aren’t widely known yet.
Ikat print has been seen on the catwalks since Fall 2007 and has continued to reappear on the Spring 2008 runways. From Armani, Balenciaga, Just Cavalli, Jenny Kayne, Missoni, Tory Burch to Oscar de la Renta and major retailers like Zara and Topshop, all have been carrying Ikat print into their collections.
Contrary to Indonesian traditional Ikat which is usually made through weaving technique, either machine or hand woven (tenun Ikat), home designers in the West are mostly using Ikat as a print on their designs to match fashion.
They come in neutral and monochromatic colors, as well in bright colors and the latest Ombre color tones. Ikat is said to be also found in several other countries, mostly in Asia, Africa, and some countries in Central and South America. Meanwhile, Indonesian Ikats are widely found in Sumba, Sulawesi, West Timor (East Nusa Tenggara), Lombok, Flores, Bali, Sumatra, Maluku, Borneo .
Of all the rich textiles that Indonesia has, my favorite has always been Ikat. It has a more modern pattern, somehow geometrical, and it looks very similar to digital patterns with which we are very familiar nowadays.
Go for it! It’s global, it’s hand crafted, it’s exotic, it’s just the chic thing to wear for summer.
Check out the photo gallery for designers.
Joelle’s Tips:
To purchase the Joelle’s Ikat Pillow line contact us.
They are one of a kind, in silk and vintage textiles. They all have different sizes. Price: US$500 each.