Located on Allen Street, Sasmita Batik is owned and operated by Novi Paluch.
Originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, her home country of Made in Buffalo plays heavily into her shop and designs made in Indonesia. There she employs a dozen people and regularly works with the disabled, the elderly and the homeless. In fact, 10% of her store sales go back to Indonesia to help educate homeless children.
Novi Paluch attributes her love of fashion and design to multiple sources, including her mother, who was a talented designer and made her clothes when she was growing up.
She also mentions her financial background as a reason for her interest in fashion. Before she worked as a designer, she worked in the financial industry as a stock trader. Dressing up for work was important to her, and she used her interest in fashion as a way to stand out.Paluch also attended journalism school and earned a master’s degree in human resources. doing.
When she first moved to Buffalo, people often asked why she dressed up because our modern dresses were decidedly more casual than what she had experienced before.
But Paluch says she now embraces a more American style, though her store and personal style reflect a more structured and formal dressing. She also wants to make nice clothes more economical.
In Fall 2022, Paluch got the chance to showcase her designs at New York Fashion Week. Paluk said it was “incredible” to see her designs on the runway. These designs are made with traditional materials but have a modern aesthetic.
Paluch says that buffalo culture is also incorporated into her designs. She prefers more colorful designs during the summer months, but that doesn’t discourage Buffalo people from wearing color in the winter.