Malang, (malangkota.go.id) – The potential of the creative economy (ekraf) of Malang City in various sub-sectors is extraordinary, including in the craft and fashion sub-sectors. Many works of native Arema craftsmen have penetrated the overseas market. One of them is Almira Handmade, a thread embroidery producer that combines elements of embroidery tradition into ready-to-wear fashion products by following trends.
Owner of Almira Handmade, Nurul Hidayati revealed that as a producer of handmade fashion products, she uses hand embroidery details. Where hand embroidery is the art of decorating fabrics using thread and needles that are rare and need to be preserved. Almira Handmade continues to develop thread embroidery into fashion ornaments that are able to follow trends.
"Almira Handmade products are the work of women from Malang City. Strands of embroidery thread are inserted into the fabric to form beautiful flower strands that depict the spirit of female embroidery workers in Indonesia. The beauty of the embroidery work strengthens the women's economy, empowers women, and preserves and preserves local culture," she said, Friday (18/3/2022).
Furthermore, she explained, embroidery is a work of art from the cultural heritage of the archipelago that must be preserved. Through the gentle hands of struggling female embroidery workers, its existence continues to be maintained so that it remains in demand and is appreciated as a work of high artistic value. According to her, embroidery is not just about decorating a material, but has a high meaning in the heritage of local Indonesian fabrics.
"Customers or buyers at Almira Handmade are spread throughout Indonesia, almost every region has resellers and customers. Since its inception in 2011, Almira Handmade has had customers from abroad, namely Hong Kong and Malaysia. Even until now, starting in 2019, it has expanded to Europe, such as Germany and Spain by collaborating with one of the fashion labels there that makes handmade fashion designs for spring summer," he explained.
Consumers can get Almira Handmade products online and offline at House of Almira Handmade and several galleries that have collaborated. Online can be obtained through social media (Instagram: almirahandmade) and various marketplaces. Nurul continues to do promotions continuously, both online and offline such as exhibitions and various events. The products range from Malangan embroidered kebaya, various hand embroidered hijabs, embroidered mukena, embroidered tunics and blouses and others.
"Almira Handmade has participated in dozens of events both local and national scale, namely Inacraft, Cravina, TTI Exhibition, Batik Embroidery Accessories Exhibition, Malang Fashion Week, Balikpapan Fashion Week, Womens Week, Jatim Fair, Batam Expo, Indo Smart City Forum & Expo, Apeksi Expo, and others. We hope in the future to continue to develop embroidery and manual embroidery products into export products and expand the export market," he added.
According to him, the Malang City Government plays a very important role in the progress of Almira Handmade. Because most of the exhibition events that Almira Handmade participates in are facilitated events. Likewise with various trainings related to business development, product development, and digital marketing. (eka/ram)
