Jacket, Top, Pants, Headscarves, And Palembang Belt, Dian Pelangi Krama jacket, top, pants, headscarves, and Palembang belt

This object is not part of the Cooper Hewitt's permanent collection. It was able to spend time at the museum on loan from Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco as part of Contemporary Muslim Fashions.

Dian Pelangi incorporates the textile traditions of both her paternal and maternal lineages into her designs. She was raised in her father's hometown of Pekalongan, Java, a center for batik (wax-resist dyeing). Her mother hails from Pelambang, Sumatra, the premier producer of exquisite gold-thread songket textiles. Pelangi uses machine-made rather than handmade songket in her designs. As she explains, “All [of] the emotions and feelings of the weavers [are] embodied . . . in every piece of songket . . . If someone wants to use the songket cloth as a shirt or dress, it means the cloth must be cut into pieces. This will change the story behind it and . . . disrespect the weaver.”

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Contemporary Muslim Fashions.