Jakarta. The December release of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," the seventh installment in George Lucas's epic space franchise, has spawned massive fanfare in the past year, with every teaser trailer and still photo painstakingly scrutinized by eager fans.

Unexpectedly adding to the build-up in anticipation is Populo Batik, an Indonesian fashion label founded by Bai Soemarlono and Joseph Lim.

The label — known for its refined juxtaposition of time-honored batik techniques and modern-flavored patterns — introduced its "Star Wars"-themed collection to the public at Indonesia Comic Con last week.

The line is part of Walt Disney Indonesia's Halo Project, which gave a number of local fashion brands the license to develop new collections incorporating elements from the movie.

"We were approached by Walt Disney Indonesia who saw a few of our previous shows," explained a Populo Batik spokesperson. "They like the way we give batik a more contemporary and international [...] approach, and how we update the whole idea of designing a batik collection."

Each step in the process of creating the line, from designing to marketing, must contractually adhere to standards set by Walt Disney.

"Our production facilities were audited by Walt Disney to guarantee the standards for social responsibility and international working conditions set by the company globally," he explained.

In this exclusive collection, the designers developed their galactic takes on batik in their own workshop. Each fabric is hand-painted or hand-stamped with patterns resembling iconic characters from the sci-fi extravaganza and fused with traditional Javanese motifs.

In one style, the visage of Yoda appears atop a fish-scale motif called Grinsing, while the seminal expression "May the force be with you" is applied in another creation.

The "Star Wars" logo is also painstakingly hand-painted in the style of Beras Wutah motif — each letter is formed by a group of grain-like shapes.

To mirror the good-vs-evil philosophy at the heart of "Star Wars," the designers rendered most of the batik fabrics in black and white. They also employed a felting technique on the fabrics, resulting in subdued shades of gray and blurred effects.

These precious batik materials then become the building blocks for pieces that run the gamut, from sweatshirts to dresses.

The premium collection will retail between Rp 2 million and Rp 30 million ($144.60-$2,170) — the most expensive piece is a Darth Vader-style cape that was entirely painted by hand.

These looks can now be ordered at Populo Batik's showroom in South Jakarta before becoming available at their e-shop and stores like The Goods Dept. and ARA later on.

The brand is also planning a more affordable line of this "Star Wars" collection, with easy-to-wear items like t-shirts and shorts, that will be launched next February.

This is not the first time a high-end fashion label released a collection inspired by the galaxy far, far away: the diffusion line of cult Japanese label Comme des Garçons released their version back in 2012.

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Populo Batik. Jl. Terusan Hang Lekir I No. 25, Senayan, South Jakarta. 

For more information, visit populo-batik.com.