If it’s not obvious already, around here, we can’t get enough to wax fabric. If you’ve been following along, Ciaa has already began to break down the ins and outs of the various types of African fabrics (with much more to come!). I continue to be a big fan of Batik so I just had to add my two cents about my love of this waxed-out magical variety in fabric.
Since the runway shows last fall, the spring and summer trends are starting to filter their way in trend reports all over the web. As one of the key ‘trends’ to be picked up by the fash pack, Batik is considered ‘afro-centric’, though I’m uneasy with the term afro-centric and can’t help but feel the fashion industry is replicating a style that African designers have been doing for years. However, if it does nothing but shed light on the versatility of Batik and African print it could possibly be a good thing.
Burberry sent some stunning Batik down the runway for their SS2012 collection, and more affordable but no less fly brands such as Boxing Kitten have pioneered many a round-the-way Batik “poster girls” with Solange being at the head of the pack. A fan of both Burberry and Boxing Kitten, she kills it with her own eclectic spin on top of pieces that already make a statement.
“Batik (Javanese pronunciation: [ˈbateʔ]; Indonesian: [ˈbatɪʔ]; English: /ˈbætɪk/ or /bəˈtiːk/) is a cloth that traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeing technique. Batik or fabrics with the traditional batik patterns are found in (particularly) Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, China, Azerbaijan, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, and Singapore.” [source]
Some of my key items are the Batik pencil skirt and of course, if you want throw in some bead work and ruffles to it can’t hurt. Team a fitted Batik pencil skirt with with plain tee and a raffia clutch bag, like this hot pink clutch from Mar Y Sol for maximum appeal.
Lastly, do as the pros do and look to the streets for Naturalista street style stars who have been wearing bold ‘ethnic’ print for some time, including head wraps and batik covered accessories. Batik on the street has been making waves for a few years and it’s great for those who just want to flirt with the African print and mix it with a paired down outfit.
MORE RELATED KINKY READING:
- l’afrique chic: prints, woven straws, and leather clutches
- baby it’s cold outside: african print jackets, trenches and coats
- add ethnic prints to your closet
- style in lyrics: i’m so over you so baby good looking out
- six questions with andrea: “i don’t own a comb and i can’t get enough of animal prints”
