In a new campaign with the British Council, the 33-year-old brings the traditional Malaysian textile to the global stage
Once seen as a traditional fabric worn by the older generation, batik has seen a revival in recent years, thanks to a new wave of designers modernising the art form. One of them is KL-based Fern Chua, the self-taught batik-maker and founder of womenswear label FERN.
Known for her signature resort wear wraps and kaftans bearing contemporary prints, Fern first started dabbling in batik 10 years ago, as a way to rehabilitate her hand after a serious car accident. Falling in love with the art, she eventually launched her eponymous label in 2013. In the ensuing years, she has championed batik by engaging local artisans in her work and raising awareness through batik workshops with the Institut Kraf Negara.
The 33-year-old is now one of the six artists featured in the new Crafting Futures campaign by the British Council, which celebrates traditional crafts from around the world by spotlighting practitioners from Mexico, Thailand, Philippines, UK, Romania, and Malaysia. The campaign film, entitled Why I Make, features Fern in her studio, where viewers get a glimpse into her design process and what batik means to her.
We recently caught up with Fern, who talks about the campaign, the challenges she faces as a modern batik designer, and why preserving the art form is so important to her.
Full story on Going Places magazine: https://goingplaces.malaysiaairlines.com/fern-chua-crafting-futures-british-council/
Sarah Khan 