Sumatra Artisanal Espadrille Shoes - Black Velvet

We named this design Sumatra because it's dark and wild like Sumatra coffee, but the artwork is based on traditional Indonesian batik fabric. The border pattern is called Parang, meaning cliff, ridge, or slope in Javanese. It is one of the oldest batik patterns and considered awisan dalem, a pattern reserved for the royal family and once forbidden outside the royal courts. The waves symbolize the unceasing spirit to strive for excellence, like waves crashing against the cliffs. The amaryllis featured at the center is symbolic of love, beauty, and determination.

When we first arrived to Java, we spent days exploring batik factories and learning about the wax-resistant dyeing technique. In the more time intensive method, the artisan draws a design by hand, then retraces the pattern with wax. When the fabric is dipped in dye the uncovered areas are stained a color, leaving the rest undyed. The finished product is used to make garments, given as gifts, and offered during rituals, such as for tedak siten, a ceremony that celebrates when a child touches the earth for the first time.