Born in culturally rich Miri and raised in busy Kuala Lumpur, entrepreneur Ruby walks us through her journey with batik. Her modern batik fashion brand Niah+Co speaks to her love of the art. And oh, what a love it is!
Ruby’s love of batik was brought to life when she was just seven years old! The Miri-born entrepreneur shares memories of her childhood: days spent admiring the artwork imprinted upon her mother’s sarong. Unsurprisingly, she was inspired to customise dresses, skirts, and even kimonos with batik artwork in her 20s. Imagine her surprise when, on a trip to Europe, she received compliments on her modern batik fashion pieces!
Further spurred by nostalgic memories of her home, and Niah Cave, the eventual namesake of her brand, Niah+Co was born. The brand is the culmination of Ruby’s great love of batik, spanning culture, history, and fashion!
Boho-chic, Beachy, and Summery
Embracing and enhancing Malaysian wardrobes with modern batik fashion, Niah+Co adapts intricate batik artwork into an assortment of products! These range from apparel to accessories and other daily items. Some of the products include a collection for mothers and newborns, as well as eco-friendly products made from Batik.
For Ruby, using batik in this way is to realise its vast potential. Her goal is to drive home the belief that the fabric is suitable for those of all ages and genders. While also incorporating the use of kain pelikat, Ruby dedicates her brand to upholding Malaysia’s cultural heritage with Batik fashion, certainly vital in our current contemporary setting.
Niah+Co bridges the traditional and the modern, assimilating batik into chic and comfortable pieces. Furthermore, their batik is printed on soft cotton, thus keeping prices affordable for customers. At the same time, cotton itself is a cooling fabric, much prized in local Malaysian weather – making for a double win!
Ruby finds joy in bringing back the nostalgic memories of grandmothers and homes, and instilling them into the hearts of many. In the hopes of sharing the beauty and cultural heritage of batik with the younger generation, Niah+Co’s goal for their Batik fashion is to be featured in boutiques around the world as well as in different households.
Look forward to new products from Niah+Co this coming Christmas and Chinese New Year 2022!
For more content, follow us on our socials below:
Tiktok @poptron.co
Instagram @poptron.co
Facebook @poptron.co
