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    Affordable tailor-made batik dresses with 30 years of history: Gérson Batik

    Candice NeoBy Updated:8 Mins Read
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    When you think about batik, what first comes to mind? Most of us in Malaysia often associate batik with formal events and a hefty price tag.

    But it doesn’t always have to be that way. Homegrown batik apparel shop Gérson Batik sells custom-made batik dresses, tops and skirts with trendy designs that include both traditional and modern elements.

    Soong Xin-Ee, Founder of Gérson Batik, Who Brought her Aunts’ Tailoring Business Online. Photo Credits: Gérson Batik.

    And most importantly, they are a fraction of the price you pay for similar tailor-made batik clothes at other shops – from RM 228 for a dress, when similar tailor-made batik dresses elsewhere in Malaysia could easily cost you RM 400 onwards.

    Even better, you don’t even need to turn up physically for the seamstresses to take your measurements. Simply send in your measurements and they will tailor you a piece that fits you perfectly.

    Bringing her aunts’ batik tailoring business online

    Founded by Klang native and resident Soong Xin-Ee, Gérson Batik is actually built on her three seamstress aunts’ former decades-old tailoring business, for which they used to tailor batik dresses, modern dresses, and gowns for their customers.

    So naturally, Xin-Ee and her cousins grew up with batik – from baby rompers to batik dresses for Chinese New Year, made with love by their aunts who live just next door – Wong Soo Ha (the main designer), Wong Soo Ling, and Wong Soo Mee (both of whom are in charge of tailoring).

    And this has always made her feel special.

    Soong Xin-Ee (Top Row, Second From Left) and Her Family Grew Up with Batik. Her Mother, Wong Soo Fhoong (Bottom Row, Third from Left), and Her Three Aunts, Wong Soo Ha (Top Row, Fourth from Left), Wong Soo Ling (Bottom Row, Left) and Wong Soo Mee (Bottom Row, Right – in Yellow) Are Key Family Members Involved in Gérson Batik. Photo Credits: Gérson Batik.

    “There’s just something so unique about batik dresses,” said Xin-Ee, who is currently working full time in e-commerce. “Whenever I wear them out, people would stop and take a second look. It’s not often that you see people wearing them, unless they are going for a formal event or special occasion – it’s expensive.”
    “Not everyone is able to own a batik dress custom-made to fit you well,” she added. “So that made me think, why can’t I make this experience more accessible for everyone?”
    Another main motivation for Xin-Ee came from her desire to help her aunts generate a stable source of income. Combining her experience in e-commerce and her aunts’ talents in design and tailoring, Xin-Ee started the brand Gérson Batik in 2018.

    Overcoming the older generation’s skepticism of modern designs in batik

    However, things were not that rosy at the beginning. Just like most family businesses consisting of different generations, Xin-Ee and her aunts had differing opinions when it came to the kind of designs that would work for a batik e-commerce apparel business targeted to young adults, especially millennials.

    While her aunts believed in using traditional designs for batik dresses, Xin-Ee was sure that modern designs and cuttings would better appeal to the younger generation, such as sleeveless batik tops.

    Xin-Ee Wanted to Make Wearing Batik Casual and Trendy for Young People Through Modern Designs and Cuttings, Such as Sleeveless Tops Like These. Photo Credits: Gérson Batik.

    It was difficult for her to convince her aunts to try out her concept. “They have more than 30 years of experience doing this, while I’m much younger, with barely any experience,” she admitted. As a niece working with the elders, it was tough for her to assert her stance.
    This difficulty in communication resulted in minimal progress until a year later, when this issue was brought up in a conversation with her parents. As she shared with her parents her frustrations, they were very supportive and encouraged her not to give up if this initiative was important to her.
    It was then that she reminded herself of her goals of starting Gérson Batik in the first place – to make custom-made batik clothes affordable to the masses and to provide a stable source of income to her aunts – and resolved to take more action to improve communication with her aunts.

    A leap of faith led to Gérson Batik’s success

    “I told myself, I cannot be chill about this anymore,” Xin-Ee said. With her parents’ motivation, she convinced her aunts to let her try selling her design for a modern spaghetti-strap batik top. “I told them, just give me one chance to try, just that one chance.”

    Xin-Ee’s First Bold Modern Design for a Batik Top that was Well-received by Customers. Photo Credits: Gérson Batik.

    Although her aunts were not completely convinced, they relented reluctantly. Xin-Ee put up a post on Instagram and it was launched in July 2019. Around 5 to 10 orders started coming in. And as their customers gave good reviews and introduced their friends to Gérson Batik, more orders came.

    It was then that her aunts realised their niece’s concept was working. “They started to trust my designs,” she said. Now, both Xin-Ee and her aunt Soo Ha are in charge of the designs, with Xin-Ee introducing modern and trendy elements to complement her aunt’s skill.

    Now, with a variety of batik dresses, blouses, skirts, accessories and even men’s shirts, Gérson Batik receives around 300 orders a month.

    Her parents are her greatest supporters through tough times

    Xin-Ee credits her parents as her biggest source of strength.
    “My parents are my biggest supporters, especially my Mom,” Xin-Ee said. “I wouldn’t have been able to overcome all these challenges without them – they supported me not just mentally but also in the little ways they can in the business.”

    Xin-Ee and Her Mother, Wong Soo Fhoong, Who Sources the Fabric for Gérson Batik. Photo Credits: Gérson Batik

    Her mother, Wong Soo Fhoong, who is also the younger sister of the three seamstresses, took charge of sourcing for fabric, while her father would drive her around as she did so. Customers of Gérson Batik can choose their own preferred fabric from the available options when they send in a message. These selections would change once every few weeks.
    Soo Fhoong was also the bridge between Xin-Ee and her aunts – as a mother and sister, she had a good understanding of both sides’ point of view and communicated it in a way that both could understand.

    Seeking to hire low income women to lessen her aunts’ burden

    Now, Xin-Ee is thinking of reaching out to refugee women, low-income mothers, and single mothers to help with the sewing in future. Reason being – she is worried about the toll the hard work might have on her aunts’ health, who are in their 50s and 60s.

    She shared that during the peak period, such as before Chinese New Year, her aunts would be up sewing till 3am and they would be really tired. 

    However, she and her family members do not want to outsource the work completely, as they are concerned that it would negatively affect the quality of the end product. 

    “I can’t find anyone who has my aunts’ eye and skills, for example, knowing which part of the fabric design would go well on which part of the body, and putting the different colours and patterns of the batik together in a way that would make the customer look good,” she said.

    Customers of Gérson Batik Love Their Modern Designs. Photo Credits: Gérson Batik.

    Hence, the next best thing would be to hire needy women in the community to help out to ease her aunts’ workload, she said.

    Counting their blessings with the growing ‘baby’

    The family has grown closer than ever and they count their blessings, celebrating every milestone. 

    “Gérson Batik is like a little baby that we have groomed as a family and seen it grow over the years,” Xin-Ee said proudly. “I’m so happy that we are able to give big angpows to my aunts and see that they have a sustainable source of income.”

    Xin-Ee confessed that it was never her intention to turn the business into one that reaps in huge profits. “It started with wanting to make custom-made batik clothes affordable and to be able to provide for my aunts. We have enough, and we intend to keep it this way,” she said.

    Until now, to keep costs low, most of the Gérson Batik team is made up of mostly family members who help out, such as Xin-Ee’s cousins who assist with operations and customer service. The modelling would be done by either Xin-Ee herself or her family members and friends.

    Gérson Batik Also Offers Matching Family Outfits. Photo Credits: Gérson Batik.

    This also means that she has no intentions of taking on the reins of Gérson Batik full time. She is actually training her 21-year-old cousin Joanne as a successor, she said, as she wants to focus on her next phase of life to start a family. But she is giving herself and her cousin at least two years to prepare for this transition.

    But meanwhile, in the near future, Xin-Ee hopes to collaborate with other local businesses. Fans of Gérson Batik can also look forward to seeing the shop’s ready-made pieces, such as the men’s line, on online e-commerce platforms like Zalora. 

    You can view Gérson Batik’s designs on their Instagram page and place your order here.

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    Journalist at Sector

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