Craftsmanship is the inheritance of culture. Singaporean brand YeoMama Batik reinterprets the traditional Indonesian batik technique in a modern way, elevating this ancient craft to new heights. Through close collaboration with artisans and artists, YeoMama Batik creates vibrant and playful designs that transform batik into contemporary urban wear. They also celebrate and promote batik culture through both online and offline events, fostering a lively batik community. This year, YeoMama Batik has been selected as one of the emerging designers at CENTRESTAGE, showcasing this traditional craft to a broader audience.

What inspired you to establish YeoMama? Can you describe the style of YeoMama Batik?

Starting YeoMama Batik in 2018 happened by chance. Honestly, I didn't grow up loving batik. When I was younger, seeing family and others wear batik, it seemed like just another flowery printed cloth to me. But when I started my business, I travelled to different parts of Indonesia to learn how batik is made. That journey changed everything for me. I fell in love with the craft and felt a strong desire to help keep it alive. We've always thought that if we want to preserve a traditional craft such as batik, it needs to be modernised to fit our current lifestyle and target audience, and that is the ongoing inspiration for YeoMama Batik.

YeoMama Batik's style lies in being effortlessly fun and colourful with a refreshing twist. At YeoMama Batik, we blend tradition with a modern twist that fits our lifestyle and appeals to our audience. Our designs are known for their lively colours, fun patterns, and easy wearability. They're made to suit all body types and can be worn by people of any age. Wearing a YeoMama Batik piece isn't just about fashion—it's about wearing something that brings happiness and positivity to your day.

How does YeoMama Batik aim to reimagine traditional batik in a more contemporary and accessible way?

We consider batik a true art form and are eager to collaborate with diverse artists to innovate using this traditional technique. Our goal is for fabric to become a canvas where new designs can flourish through batik methods. Whether you're a tattoo artist, muralist, acrylic painter, or any other creative, we're excited to partner with you to translate your art onto fabric using batik.

Additionally, we're committed on making batik easier for everyone to enjoy. By listening to our customers' feedback, we're always improving our designs to better fit today's lifestyles and meet their preferences.

Can you tell us more about your commitment to supporting skilled batik artisans and upholding the artistry of this traditional craft?

Every YeoMama Batik piece is meticulously handmade by skilled batik artisans, never digitally printed. We believe in modernising batik to preserve this traditional craft.  By collaborating closely with our artisans, we create fresh, contemporary designs that excite both us and them. This partnership helps us uphold the artistry of batik while supporting the batik community.

Beyond just clothing, how does YeoMama Batik seek to celebrate culture, creativity, and community? What are some of the brand's broader initiatives or values in this regard?

We believe our platform can achieve more than just selling clothing. Beyond apparel, we are committed to sharing bite size cultural knowledge, fostering creativity through batik, and nurturing a vibrant community of like-minded individuals. Central to our ethos are values of spreading joy and celebrating relationships—whether through engaging social media content or exclusive studio events with our community.

To unite our community and highlight the significance of bonds and friendships, we organise intimate events like Mother's Day workshops, community fashion shoots, and high tea gatherings where we unveil our latest collections alongside my entire family.

What has the response been like from customers so far? How have you seen people embrace the "joy of batik" through wearing your designs?

We are incredibly touched and thankful for the overwhelmingly positive and heartwarming responses from our customers. They often make us feel like we're part of their extended family. Some customers even bring us food during our pop-up events, or send their regards to my parents (YeoMama and YeoPapa) when they're not around in the store.

Seeing the genuine smiles on their faces when they wear our clothes truly warms our hearts. It's even more special when families share photos wearing our batik, especially those where three generations are dressed in YeoMama Batik. It feels like we're bringing people together through our pieces.

Where do you see YeoMama Batik going in the future?

The opportunities ahead are boundless! As we aim to grow into a lifestyle brand offering more than just apparel, we hope that YeoMama Batik will always be cherished as a brand that comes straight from the heart. We're setting our sights on expanding overseas to Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan. With a small, efficient team, we're committed to progressing steadily, one step at a time.

Wherever we go in the future, we hope that everyone - both current and new customers - associates YeoMama Batik with the values of family and happiness.