BUFFALO, N.Y. —  Sasmita Batik owner Novi Paluch says she loves designing clothes and helping people.

“I pick the fabric and then I sketch it,” Paluch said. “We start from scratch, from a white canvas.”

What You Need To Know

  • Buffalo clothing designer Novi Paluch travels back and forth between Western New York and Indonesia

  • She hires people who are elderly, have special needs and are homeless in Indonesia to sew her clothes, explaining that they are grateful to earn much-needed money

  • Sasmita Batik is located on Allen Street in Buffalo

She has a house in Buffalo and in Jakarta. She travels back and forth between the two places, helping those in her home country who are facing poverty. She hires people who are elderly, have special needs and are homeless in Indonesia to sew her clothes. She says they are grateful to earn much-needed money.

“They need the work to live and for education,” Paluch said.

She says that she’s not only helping those in need, but she is introducing Western New York to Indonesian designs.

“Buffalo is very multi-culture and very open to different cultures,” Paluch said. “I’m bringing my culture to Buffalo in general.”

This designer also loves creating clothes with some of her own, unique style.

“In Indonesia, this fabric is old fashioned,” she said. “In the United States, I’m creating to young people.”

She says that when people wear her designs, they’re not only learning about Indonesian fashion, but they're helping seamstresses in her hometown to put food on the table.

Sasmita Batik is located on Allen Street in Buffalo.