An architectural take
TRADITIONAL batik patterns are typically inspired by nature. The ones produced on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia for example, are known for their lush floral designs. Produced using either the hand-drawn or block technique, the patterns are said to carry meaning. But modern consumers are mostly looking for aesthetic appeal and conventially, colours tend to run on the riotous side — it’s not unusual to see up to a dozen different shades on a single piece of fabric.
While those are the unspoken rule of Malaysian batik, a local label called Batik Tektura is doing things differently. Founded around 2016 by lifelong friends Azrina Lasa and Yez Yusof, they find inspiration in buildings and architecture. This is seen in the confluence of angled lines over a palette that is often dark with contrasting shades to
Batik Tektura merchandise are available online and on certain weekend bazaars. make the designs pop. Made in Terengganu and utilising the block technique, the result is batik that is contemporary and unconventional.
As the creative partner of the brand, Yez draws on her lifelong experience with batik to create the designs. Hailing from Terengganu, she played around with melted wax and dye since childhood. It continued when she was in boarding school with Azrina, where they both learnt to make batik in an elective class.
While Azrina admits that she didn’t take very much from the experience — her appreciation of batik came later — Yez continued her lessons beyond what was required of the students. As a working adult, she made batik paintings and messed around with tie-dye.
Then a few years ago, Azrina told Yez about wanting a different kind of batik than what was available in the market. As it turned out, Yez was thinking the same.
“We decided early on to go for an architectural design reference,” says Yez, who is a practising architect. “We needed something to hold on to, you see. So with that,