A woman in her 50s came up to a handicraft exhibition stand. The woman was wearing a silk batik, kebaya, and carrying a Louis Vuitton handbag. She was standing in front of the stand, and holding the bag. She looked at a price tag, frowned, and then said, 'It's just a lurik cloth, lady. Why is it so expensive?’

Herlin, the stand keeper, was stunned by the woman’s comment. For her, the woman’s comment sounded odd paticularly because it was in contrast to her upscale look and the internationally branded product that she was carrying. Nonetheless she understood. This was not the first time that people could not appreciate the products made from lurik cloth that were on display.