April 30, 2025

SURABAYA (Lentera) – Fashion Design and Business (FDB) students from Ciputra University (UC) demonstrated that fashion is not just about trends, but also empathy.

In a collaborative project with the Dmart Tithiek Tenger Foundation in Malang, they transformed the hand-made batik of children with disabilities into stunning contemporary fashion designs.

UC FDB lecturer Janet Teowarang explained that Malangan Mask batik, initially unpopular with the market, has now been transformed into unique, culturally inspired clothing.

In this collaboration, three students digitised batik for children with disabilities, printed it on a small scale using environmentally friendly inks, and applied it to Barbie doll clothes as part of an exploration in the Fashion and Culture course.

The three student teams created a collection of miniature clothing inspired by vintage styles from the 1940s to 1970s. From elegant A-line silhouettes to psychedelic bohemian styles to dynamic 1950s-style balloon skirts, all combine batik motifs with an attractive modern touch for children with disabilities.

Furthermore, the students also redesigned the batik motifs to better suit the tastes of the younger generation.

“This isn’t just about aesthetics, but about empowering and valuing children with disabilities through their work,” said Janet, Wednesday (April 30, 2025).

She explained that this project not only boosts the economic value of batik made by people with disabilities but also builds the confidence of young artisans that their work deserves recognition and appreciation.

“Hopefully, the batik motifs created by these young disabled artisans will become more attractive, more vibrant, and more appealing to the younger generation, who may have previously been untouched by traditional batik from the disabled community,” she said.

Meanwhile, Djoko Rendy, Chairman of the Dmart Tithiek Tenger Foundation, expressed his pride in collaborating with students from Ciputra University Surabaya on the redesign of Malang Mask Batik.

Through this collaboration, he hopes that DMart’s disabled friends will gain valuable experience interacting, learning, and contributing to a major work that elevates local culture.

“This is a concrete demonstration that creativity and empowerment can be created through cross-community collaboration,” he concluded.