Faithful patrons of Plaza Senayan must be aware of Tulisan Store, which is located at Level 3 of the shopping mall. Although housed in the melting pot of famed Western brands, the local brand doesn’t have to strive hard to steal the spotlight.
The glasshouse concept of the store does nothing but bewitching passers-by to stride into the shop, maybe caught by the lush “vegetation” of Tulisan’s exclusive goods upon entering. Owing to Melissa’s mother, Didi Hersubeno, natural knack for interior design, the entire shop emanates a certain kind of feeling one gets from treading down a path within a garden of lush verdure.
Inside, the shop is rather like an atelier, with tall white wooden racks that house Tulisan’s very own bags with manual-printed motifs – hand-drawn by Melissa herself – adorned all over the eco-canvas material. Across, is a very impressive display of canvass pouches and clutches of various motifs and sizes, gracing a very large wooden table.
Founded by Melissa Sunjaya in 2010 with a mere Rp 5 million budget, Tulisan is now on the socialites’ list of coveted goods and also expats’ must-have items if they would like to boast of living in Indonesia for years. The charming prints emblazoned across each good are actually witnesses of Melissa’s true self, a storyteller.
If by any chance, one would come across the 41-year-old woman, she would talk rather endlessly of the tales behind her designs. Each design comes with a short fiction that is often a rendition of Indonesia’s folklores and fables such as Love Letters of Roro Mendut and The Secret Garden of Admiral Kasarung. But some are also Melissa’s own, like Amma Supahilo, which was inspired by one of her dreams.
As a local brand created with great attentiveness and overflowing passion, Tulisan doesn’t deserve scathing remarks and accusatory fingers like other local brands often receive. Now it’s time to put that Kate Spade or Gucci handbags back in the closet and tote a Tulisan bag instead.
