Agus T. Santosa and Elva Fahrima, the husband and wife duo behind the fashion brand Apikmen, started their entrepreneurial journey in an unexpected place. Founded in 2011, this UMKM built by Pertamina has successfully expanded its reach to export markets in Dubai and Sydney.
Agus’s personal interest in Indonesian textiles, particularly batik, sparked the beginning of Apikmen. Initially, the unique batik shirts were only worn for personal use but received positive feedback from colleagues, encouraging the couple to venture into the fashion business. Despite lacking a background in fashion and significant capital, Agus kickstarted the business by observing a batik store in a cellphone shopping center in South Jakarta.
The name Apikmen was born from the Javanese word “apik,” meaning good, and “men,” representing men, establishing a brand known for bold and unique designs in men’s batik shirts. The pivotal moment came in 2012 when Apikmen passed the curation for Indonesia Fashion Week, leading to numerous national exhibitions and strategic collaborations with various retailers and e-commerce platforms like Zalora.
