INDONESIAN fabrics have long held an allure with their vast array of colours, motifs and textures that reflect the diverse cultural identity of this beguiling archipelago. For centuries, the practice of producing traditional cloths in the country has been passed down from generation to generation. 
 
One of the most enduring forms is ikat: a particular fabric pattern achieved by dying the threads before the fabric is woven. While ikat is ubiquitous across Indonesia, the highly developed double-ikat style requires such a high level of artisanship that, outside of India and Japan, it is only produced in the ancient village of Tenganan in Bali.  
 
Unlike other textiles, both warp and weft threads are dyed in complex patterns before weaving double-ikat. The Tenganese people use this technique to create their very own version, called geringsing. Intricate, lengthy and ritually laden, the making of geringsing can take from two to five years. 
 
While each pattern has its own meaning, all geringsing textiles share the same spiritual thread, connecting with the generosity of the god Indra. For it was Indra – god of thunder, lightning, rain and warfare – who created the shadows in the sky to be used as patterns for the cloths. Believed to contain extraordinary protective powers, gerinsing fabrics are an essential part of ceremonial dress in Bali, and worn at every important event, from weddings to the cutting of a child’s first tooth. And if cared for correctly, cloths can last for hundreds of years, making them a highly prized heirloom, as well as some of the rarest fabrics in the world.