day dresses

Evoking rain showers under the light of dawn, intricate motifs in hues of azure, blue, and crimson decorate this lovely rayon sundress from Bali. Galuh Kenanga designs this dress, which is decorated using the batik method, where a wax resist is stamped by hand onto the fabric before it is treated with the colorful dyes. This knee-length dress features tie straps and a smocked bodice.

Silhouetted on cherry red, delicate yellow hibiscus flowers evoke thoughts of the tropics. They show the tonal variations of batik. Nyoman Nadri creates this graceful rayon robe with wide sleeves and a matching belt. In traditional kimono style, the robe features openings under the arms for adjusting the robe and for ease of movement.

Batik is a fabric art in which the cloth is stretched on a wooden frame and the design sketched with a pencil. Then a mixture of melted wax is painted by hand onto areas where color is not desired. When the fabric is crumpled into the dying solution, the wax cracks, creating an attractive network of fine lines. The wax is removed and the process is repeated for each color utilized. Finally, the cloth is washed and rinsed to remove any excess dye.

This handpainted batik robe is a truly original work of art. Sunlight, water, dye and temperature all factor into the look of the finished robe. This should be considered a unique design made especially for you. Colors and pattern placement will vary.

Balinese artisan Dayu Menuhari presents a gorgeous batik scarf diligently crafted by hand. "We don't do any printing or even stamping," she says, "but it's all hand painted and while that makes our production take longer, our products are purely hand-made." Butterflies flit across the rayon scarf's awe-inspiring design in porcelain and geranium hues, which includes a traditional parang pattern at both ends of the accessory. A parang is type of knife, and the use of a parang motif was once reserved solely for Javanese royalty. Fringe on both ends completes the vibrantly-colored wrap scarf.

Mancala is a two-player game traditional in multiple regions. This board features a gorgeous floral batik design in red tones. Presented by Java's Gunadi, the set also includes pebbles for playing with your loved ones all day, and its iron hinge allows the board to be easily folded.

Several days are spent to create this floral batik silk masterpiece. Artisan Yuni Kristina learned the art of Indonesian batik, a UNESCO cultural treasure, from her mother.