LOCAL design house Fern Batik recently collaborated with the British Council for its Crafting Futures campaign, an initiative that celebrates the value of craft in history, culture and the world today.
Representing Malaysia and the traditional craft of batik, Fern Chua, founder and designer of Fern Batik, is one of six artists chosen from around the world.
Chua established her sustainable fashion label in 2015, aiming to elevate and use batik to create contemporary designs and luxury resortwear. Her efforts have been well -eceived both locally and internationally.
She first heard about the campaign from the British Council's head of arts and creative, Florence Lambert, who contacted her about the project.
"She asked if this was something of interest to me and if I would like to pitch my brand and myself as an artist to their board for their consideration to participate.
"I proceeded to present my brand, its story and my craft through a series of explanations and photos.
"About two weeks later, she gave me the good news that I was chosen for this film series," explains Chua, who is excited to be part of the project.
Crafting Futures aims to discover artists from around the world, learn how they elevate traditional craft and how they create a future for these crafts.
The campaign aims to highlight and educate people about various crafts from around the world. Malaysia was selected for its traditional art form, batik.
PRESERVING TRADITION
Chua says batik has always been deeply rooted in the country's heritage and culture. It tells a lot about our past and she would like to bring it to the future.
"It is a beautiful art form that deserves preservation. Being featured in this campaign is going to make a difference to our craft industry. It is a great platform to showcase what we can do for Malaysian batik and get recognition globally for the art form.
The collaboration itself is pretty straightforward, adds Chua, with the most challenging part being the task of getting perfect shots for the video that encapsulates the craft.
She explains that for her, the highlight of this project is the ability to create and share beautiful content and the opportunity to tell her story and journey.
Batik has different meanings and perceptions to different people. This can sometimes lead to never-ending debates and critiques but Chua chooses to stick to her belief – preserving the craft while modernising the designs based on her inspiration.
"I'm excited to be able to share our local craft with the world. I don't just try to showcase a craft that is widely known but, in a way, make it my own – create an identity or modernise it through my creations. My designs or collections tell a story that people can relate to."
MOROCCAN DREAM
FERN Batik has released its latest holiday collection — a second part to its Moroccan Series, first introduced earlier this year as part of the Raya 2020 collection.
It draws inspiration from the landscape and valleys of the Sahara desert and Atlas Mountains — the night sky filled with stars, the damask rose, the intense blue tones of the little town of Chefchaouen, mosaic patterns filling the Medina of Fez and palm trees towering in the streets.
These inspired prints and motifs have been interpreted into beautiful silhouettes that draw the eye.
"With the holiday collection, we wanted to create looks that were fun and edgy, yet comfortable. As many people have been staying home and indoors, the silhouettes have also been designed to match everyday lifestyle," says Chua.
The new collection is available at Fern's flagship store in Bangsar Village II and online at www.fern.gallery.