As a member of the CFDA’s Fashion Incubator program, WHIT designer Whitney Pozgay was sent on an inspiration trip to Bali. Here, she shares the details of her tropical adventure exclusively with Style.com.
As part of the CFDA’s partnership with W Hotels, we traveled to Bali for inspiration and were humbled by the experience and the unending parade of artistry. Drive anywhere on the island and your head will spin—there’s so much to take in. We were joined by our two buds Marcy Roberts and her husband, photographer Greg Vore, who captured some special moments. The godmother of fashion, the CFDA’s Lisa Smilor, was also with us for the first leg of the trip. We began in Seminyak, a bustling beach town with lovely restaurants. On a day trip, we were given a tour of an ikat factory in a small village. It was wonderful to see such intricate weaving being done by hand. Then we shot up to Ubud, the cultural heart of Bali, where we wandered around winding streets, ducking into shops with expertly crafted carvings and textiles. After a relaxing jaunt to the north coast, we met my husband’s sister, who flew in from Singapore, and posted up at a villa in Keliki that was surrounded by rice terraces. We left Bali too soon; we fell in love and can’t wait to go back.
—Whitney Pozgay
On our first morning, we were up before sunrise to see a temple on the eastern coast and got our first view of rice terraces.
It’s something to see a mass of ducks being herded across a busy highway. They obediently follow a red flag on a stick and spend their days in rice ponds.
Beautiful religious offerings are made daily and placed all around—so many you really have to watch your step. The contents of the handmade boxes symbolize the elements, a token of gratitude to the spirit world, and the hope of good Karma.
Never turn your back on a monkey. Marcy learned the hard way during our visit to Monkey Forest. However, this handsome guy was just kicking it on the temple steps.
We took a day trip to an ikat mill in Klungkung. I took a lesson on the looms and learned how the intricate patterns are designed, dyed, and woven by hand.
We were lucky to be in Bali as the Kuningan Festival was coming to a close. The streets were lined with penjor—beautifully decorated bamboo poles with flags that stretch two stories high. We observed the celebration at a quiet temple in Kaliki, where women carried offerings in woven baskets.
After a few days of relaxing poolside on the northern coast, we visited the Gitgit waterfall and Lake Batur.
We spent our last few days at a villa outside Ubud. Famous Naughty Nuri’s BBQ and colorful local markets were only a short drive away.
Photos: Courtesy of Whitney Pozgay
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