Often bearing vibrant prints, batik is usually associated with traditional wear, and worn for formal occasions or special celebrations.
However, Noelle Kan has put her own spin on batik through her clothing brand Kanoe.
“Batik is something that is very ingrained in Malaysian culture and heritage. Hence, I wanted to integrate this gorgeous and traditional fabric into something that’s more modern, designing it in a way that’s more suited to be worn daily,” Kan told FMT Lifestyle.
Recounting how her brand started back in 2016, Kan said she was humbled by how far Kanoe has come.
“After graduating, I spent some time teaching art and biology in KL before heading off to the Philippines for social work involving underprivileged children,” she said.
The stint was cut short, however, when Kan was forced to return to Malaysia after falling ill. Finding herself at a crossroads in her life, it was a pastor who told her she was keeping her talents in fashion design buried.
That allowed her to see things in a better perspective, and it pushed her to start working on what is now Kanoe.
“I know I wanted to design something that represents Malaysia and who I am. Batik is perfect in that case to embrace who we are, and what I always call myself: a child of the tropics.”
Using fabrics from Malaysia and her travels in Indonesia, Kan designed her first mini collection and launched her brand online.
Seeing as she didn’t have any business training, Kan said there was a lot of learning she had to do at the start. But she said the experience was fun as she got to explore a part of herself that she had buried for so long.
“I still remember the first piece I sold, a striped linen dress, to a lady based in Singapore. She was my first customer.”
Other than that, the Johor Bahru native also set up pop-up stalls in bazaars occasionally. Slowly but steadily, Kanoe started growing, as Kan said she wanted it to evolve naturally without rushing the process.
“That’s why when RexKL approached me earlier this year looking for local businesses to fill up their space, I accepted because I felt the time was right,” she said, smiling.
It’s clear how proud Kan is of her first ever physical store as she excitedly took FMT Lifestyle on a walkabout, pointing to some of her best-selling pieces. From twist-front crop tops to cute skirts and mini dresses, Kanoe shows that batik pieces can be easy to wear and casual as well.
“At first, it was just ladies’ wear. And we didn’t introduce menswear until two or three years ago. Our most recent foray has been kids clothing.
“I design my pieces based on what I think my customers would like, and also what I myself would want to wear.”
Other than clothing, there is also a variety of accessories made using batik, including scarves, tote bags, coasters and even bookmarks.
“We work with local batik artisans when it comes to the textile, and most of our accessories are made by refugee communities residing in Malaysia,” Kan said.
Since the store’s opening in August, its customers have been made up of mostly foreign tourists looking for souvenirs that are quintessentially Malaysian.
Walking down memory lane, Kan recalled that she had always been into playing dress-up and matching her clothing.
“When I was 12 or 13 years old, I bought an illustration book that taught me how to sketch, so I guess it has always been in me,” she said.
As for the future, Kan’s hopes are simple. She wants to continue growing her brand so that she can see more people wearing her batik designs.
Follow Kanoe on Facebook and Instagram; or head to its website here.
Kanoe @ RexKL
80, Jalan Sultan
City Centre
50000 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours:
10am-6pm: Tuesday-Friday
11am-6pm: Saturday
12pm-6pm: Sunday