The Tales of Nusantara Textile: An Education Showcase of Indonesian Textile, Culture, and Fashion

Spanning more than 3,000 miles between its east and west coast and with more than 270 million population, Indonesia is an archipelagic country rich in culture. Each of its 17,000 islands has their own distinctive culture, that is also reflected in the fabric and textiles. Indonesian textiles are not only rich in history and philosophy, but they are also functional. Various types of Indonesian textiles are made with natural and sustainable methods. Despite having high potential to be utilized in modern-day fashion, Indonesian textiles are still unfamiliar to many. Against this background, this event aims to introduce the different fabric and textiles from Indonesian archipelago—also often referred to as “Nusantara”—to the global audience.

The format of the event will be panel discussion followed by a “touch and feel” session, where the audience can go around the room to feel the fabrics. There will be four designers from Indonesia will explain different kind of textiles from Indonesia, namely Batik and Tenun.

The designers are:

• Theodora Matrutty (Tenun Tanimbar textile from Maluku)
• Zuebarqa Benz (Tenun Ulap Doyo textile from East Borneo)
• Herman Prasetyo (Tenun Kendari from Southeast Sulawesi)
• Frida Aulia (Batik tulis Angklung from West Java)

Schedule:

• 10–10:25 am: Door Open/Registration
• 10:30–10:35 am: Remarks by FIT Professor Kyunghee Pyun, History of Art
• 10:35–10:40 am: Remarks by Consulate General of Indonesia in New York
• 10:40–10:50 am: Introduction to designers and brief overview of Indonesian Textile by Vanny Tousignant, founder of NYIFW
• 10:50–11:30 am: Presentation on Indonesian Textiles by Designers (Moderator: FIT)
• 11:30–noon: Q&A Session
• Noon–1 pm: “Touch and Feel” session around the room

Indonesian snacks will be provided.

The event is hosted by New York Indonesia Fashion Week with support from the Consulate General of Indonesia in New York. It is also sponsored by FIT’s School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Department of History of Art, Office of International Programs, and International Student Services.

This event is free and open to the public; REGISTER HERE.