different clothing

Abstract motifs and tones of blue, turquoise and jade come together in a lovely rayon dress designed by Balinese artisan Desak Nyoman Parwati. This youthful sleeveless dress, perfect for summer days, features a scoop neckline and two pockets. It is hand-stamped on tie-dye fabrics with batik techniques, making the dress a unique garment.

An elegant shade of midnight and white details enhance these graceful long pants designed by Indonesian artisan Endah. Using batik techniques, Endah hand-stamps floral and leaf motifs that embellish the entire design, making each garment unique and an elegant choice for summer soirees. These comfortable pants also feature an elastic waistband and two handy pockets on each side.

A jacket this unique is just the thing to elevate a ho-hum outfit to extraordinary. The best part of all is that you won't be sacrificing comfort in the name of fashion. Bali's Galuh Kenanga designs the relaxed, open jacket, which is crafted of batik-printed rayon in a rich boysenberry shade. Wide, three-quarter length sleeves complete the design.

Seated on a tiger, Shiva lifts a hand in blessing. Regarded as the celestial overlord of deliverance through destruction, Shiva has his customary trident by his side as a show of divinity. The hissing cobra that slithers around his head symbolizes his potent divine destructivity, and his matted hair is thought to contain the flow of the Ganges River. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is both the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger. Unaffected by the whims of the world, he is innocent and guileless, pure of mind and heart. He does not adorn his body with jewels or flowers — he mats his hair and dresses in animal hide.

Ida Bagus Lawa Bargawa is a master of the batik technique, sketching the figures by hand and applying the wax resist freehand, which requires great skill. A different dye bath is required for each separate color in his elegant and complex batik "painting."

Ketut Suwitra evokes military-style elegance for this handsome shirt for men. The Balinese designer selects a fresh olive green hue for the soda-ashed cotton shirt. Featuring shoulder tabs and twin chest pockets with buttoned flaps, the short sleeve shirt fastens with coconut shell buttons.

Soda-ashed dyeing processes may reveal different color intensity and motifs, rendering each shirt unique.