'Busana Muslim' business endures share of growing pains<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): As with all blossoming businesses, the busana
\nMuslim (Moslem fashion) industry will have to endure its share of
\ngrowing pains.<\/p>\n
Dimas Mahendra is one of many designers annoyed by the vulgar
\ncommercialization of the industry.<\/p>\n
"Busana Muslim should cover everything except the face and the
\nhands. Just because an outfit is worn with a head-dress doesn't
\nmake it busana Muslim," Mahendra said.<\/p>\n
Mahendra isn't the only one concerned about the development
\nof busana Muslim. His colleagues at the Indonesian Fashion
\nDesigner Association, share his worry. Hermina Kusnadi is one
\ndesigner concerned about the definition.<\/p>\n
"We're trying to formalize the limits of what busana Muslim
\ncan show," said Kusnadi. Having started designing in 1983,
\nKusnadi now belongs to both the association and Yayasan Karima, a
\nfoundation of busana Muslim designers that strive to develop the
\nart of busana Muslim and expand business opportunities for its
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
In a lot of ways, busana Muslim is an old kid in a new town.
\nThe fashion dates back to the 7th century, with its modern-day
\nsurvivors in Indonesia being West Sumatra's modest baju kurung
\nand South Sulawesi's loose-fitting baju bodo. Dutch
\ncolonization and 20th century modernization, however, transformed
\nIndonesian society and made way for Western dress styles.<\/p>\n
The booming 1980s brought more confidence to the Indonesian
\neconomy and public. Wearing busana Muslim became a sign of
\nreligious piety, economic affluence, and cultural independence.
\nWhen restrictions on wearing jilbab (head scarf) in school were
\nlifted in 1991 -- a victory for university students who insisted
\non dressing piously -- busana Muslim became even more accepted
\namong mainstream society.<\/p>\n
Today busana Muslim designers report healthy sales. During the
\nmonth of Ramadhan, orders from both department stores and clients
\ncan double.<\/p>\n
"Moslem women want to be in busana Muslim style at least once
\na year, especially those over 50 years old," Mahendra, one of the
\nindustry's few male designers, said.<\/p>\n
"Women are becoming more aware that these clothes are for
\neveryday wear, so business prospects are good," said Mahendra.
\nBut steady profits are no longer enough.<\/p>\n
"It's nice to make money, but we feel this responsibility to
\ngive the public real busana Muslim, which covers all the aurat
\n(the entire body excluding palms and face)," said Kusnadi.
\n"Busana Muslim should also never be tight. As for design, it
\ndoesn't matter how detailed it is," added Mahendra.<\/p>\n
Yayasan Karima, led by Ida Royani, is a step in the right
\ndirection, not only to supervise busana Muslim esthetics but to
\nstrengthen the movement, said Kusandi.<\/p>\n
"We want not only to help ourselves but also struggling busana
\nMuslim designers. We should share our success," Kusnadi said.<\/p>\n
The success is currently shared mainly by women. This year
\nTaruna Kusmayadi and Yongki Suadi joined Mahendra and Raizal Rais
\nin the trade, but, unlike the male-dominated mainstream fashion
\nindustry, busana Muslim business is a female domain. Kusnadi sees
\nthis trend as "merely a coincidence".<\/p>\n
"Yayasan Karima just wants to gather designers who concentrate
\non busana Muslim. Many other designers design mainstream
\ncollections as well as busana Muslim, so their minds are on other
\nthings," Kusnadi said. She disagrees that gender discrimination
\nplays a role.<\/p>\n
"The male designers work very well with us ibu-ibu
\n(housewives). Taruna is always offering advice on trends and
\nmarketing," said Kusnadi.<\/p>\n
That advice is needed for the industry to achieve economies of
\nscale. Despite strong sales at outlets like Pasaraya and Cinere
\nMall, busana Muslim is still very much a home industry. The
\naverage designer, like Kusnadi, produces 200 to 300 pieces a
\nmonth. Feni Mustafa, regarded as a large-scale manufacturer,
\nproduces 750 pieces a month outside the Ramadhan season. The
\ndesigners work out of small studios and employ under a dozen
\nseamstresses.<\/p>\n
The small-scale production impedes expansion and limits the
\nmarket.<\/p>\n
"We're saving up to start a teenage busana Muslim counter, but
\nit will take awhile," said Kusnadi. Currently, busana Muslim
\ndesigners count on upper-middle class housewives as customers.
\nThey will pay between Rp 200,000 and Rp 800,000 for an outfit.<\/p>\n
Trendy and youthful Muslim fashions will have to wait.<\/p>\n
"You have to lower prices to break into the teenage market,"
\nsaid Kusnadi.<\/p>\n
Anne Rufaidah, whose Rp 100 million collection was destroyed
\nduring the floods this year, says it's not an easy business,
\nespecially when trying to break the mass market.<\/p>\n
"If we sell to stores, we only get a quarter of the profits,"
\nsaid Rufaidah.<\/p>\n
"We don't have the capacity to produce anything cheaper yet,"
\nadded Mahendra. Rais is among one of the few designers making
\ninroads with fashionable Moslem teens.<\/p>\n
"I'm working with one of the teen magazines to promote busana
\nMuslim," said Rais.<\/p>\n
The opening of the teenage market makes room for more
\ncompetition -- competition that is surprisingly welcome. True to
\nMoslem teachings, busana Muslim designers exercise a modesty that
\nhas escaped the mainstream rag trade. Many designers entered the
\nbusiness owing to personal conviction, and persevere with the
\nsame religious piety.<\/p>\n
Rufaidah began designing in 1981 when she decided to wear a
\njilbab.<\/p>\n
"According to the Koran, your behavior, speech and actions
\nshould be in line with ibadah (religious devotion). I wanted my
\nwork to follow ibadah," said Rufaidah.<\/p>\n
Religious devotion serves not only as inspiration, but as
\nmental support.<\/p>\n
"Competition is definitely increasing, but I'm not scared,"
\nsaid Kusnadi. "God is fair with fortune, so if your designs are
\ngood, Insya Allah (God willing) it will sell," she said.<\/p>\n
--Dini S. Djalal<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/busana-muslim-business-endures-share-of-growing-pains-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }