Batik clay in contemporary fashion: a qualitative study of creativity and design

This qualitative research focuses on the application of Batik Clay in the modern student fashion designing, which looks into how the traditional Malaysian textile is incorporated into the new fashion clothing. The studies examine student projects of UiTM Seri Iskandar, and examine the level of fabric coverage as well as how it is mixed with other materials in 22 designs in the casual category. The observations were made at the exhibition with the title of the ‘Batik Fusion: From Blocks to Runway’ where the garments were evaluated through the standard evaluation framework consisting of the following criteria: originality, integration, conceptual execution, and functional quality. The results show that students used Batik Clay in different capacities, 27.27% of the designs included the fabric as a controlling material (more than 55% coverage), 40.91% as secondary (between 25 and 55% coverage), and 31.82% as peripheral decor. The paper shows that Batik Clay has potential the primary and secondary textile in the modern world of fashion and still retains its cultural identity. The results are added to discussion on how to maintain traditional crafts by education in design and the importance of fashion programmes in mediating traditional textiles and modern design.