Elon Musk’s fashion diplomacy: the SpaceX CEO just rocked a batik shirt in Bali

“I think it’s really important to emphasise the importance of internet connectivity and how much of a life changer that it can be, and a lifesaver it can be,” Musk told reporters at an interview on Sunday.

“If you have some goods or services that you wish to sell to the world, even if you are in a remote village, you can now do so with an internet connection,” Musk said. “So it can bring a lot of prosperity, I think, to rural communities”.

This time round, Musk went with a more localised choice, picking a green batik shirt for Bali. The term “batik” refers to an Indonesia technique of using wax-resistant dyes to design intricate patterns on clothing.

Musk, of course, is no stranger to Indonesia.

Musk’s SpaceX has been working closely with the Southeast Asian country to bolster its internet connectivity. According to the World Bank, roughly 66 per cent of the country’s 280 million population uses the internet, although connectivity is poor in Indonesia’s rural and remote areas.

And the green batik shirt that Musk wore on Sunday appears to be the same one he was gifted when he took part in Indonesia’s B20 Summit in November 2022. The event is an official G20 dialogue forum that is targeted at business leaders.

Musk, who was unable to make the trip to Bali then, gave a virtual interview to Indonesian businessman Anindya Bakrie. Musk was seen wearing the same green batik shirt during his video call.

During the interview, Bakrie told Musk that the “batik bomba” shirt that they sent him came from a small village in Central Sulawesi.

“Thank you for this awesome shirt. That’s great. I love it,” Musk said.