Remembering The Maestro, Iwan Tirta (April 18, 1935 – July 31, 2010)

"I sound like a needle stuck in the groove of a record, but it's so important to do this. People won't realize until it's too late, when they ask, 'Oh did we have those things?' We cannot move forward without preserving our past."
- Batik designer, Iwan Tirta (April 18, 1935 – July 31, 2010)

 

Devoted to Javanese culture, designer Iwam Tirta helped save batik industry by adapting folk art to such high fashion.  

Tirta was a critic of the recent revival of batik in the early 21st Century. He was especially critical of the embrace mass produced, printed batik over the traditional, handmade cloth, "The problem is that the establishment still doesn't know the difference between printed batik and the handmade one. It's our own mistake. They say 'creative economy', and that's a contradiction. When the word economy comes into it, you reduce everything to money. What we need now are good and knowledgeable patrons."

INTO THE REALM

Wardrobe : Rick Owens with Batik Masterpiece from Pusaka Maha Karya by Iwan Tirta

 BEYOND THE SUNDIAL

Wardrobe : Trussardi 1911 with Batik Masterpiece from Pusaka Maha Karya by Iwan Tirta

AMARANTINE

Wardrobe : Alexander McQueen & Harry Darsono Couture with Batik Masterpiece from Pusaka Maha Karya by Iwan Tirta

 A TIME REMEMBERED

Wardrobe : Batik Masterpiece from Pusaka Maha Karya by Iwan Tirta