Cirebon batik fashion show held

JAKARTA (JP): A fashion show featuring modern and traditional gowns embellished with Cirebon batik motifs was staged at Pasaraya shopping center in Blok M, South Jakarta, on Thursday.

The show was staged as part of the shopping center's one-month Java Festival and displayed the collection of batik designer Suharti Syarief Wiraniti.

Syarif's collection was called Sunyaragi, a name inspired by an historic cave of the same name near Cirebon, West Java, 200 kilometers to the east of Jakarta.

The batik clothes, which were made from various materials including cotton and silk, depict butterflies, birds and leaves in brave colors like pink and purple as well as the more typical batik colors of brown and gold.

Dozens of visitors, among them many different nationalities, were impressed by the collection, which was presented by several local models.

Some of the clothes exhibited were sold straight after the show at a 20 percent discount.

Rae Sita Supit, vice president of ALatief Corporation, which manages the shopping center, said Cirebon batik was introduced to the festival because of its special characteristics.

"In term of color and design, Cirebon batik has more of its own characteristics than other traditional batik, and Syarief is brave enough to play with the colors," Rae said.

She said the festival, which is scheduled to end on Oct. 31, was also promoting popular food and drinks and traditional dances from throughout Java. (jun)