Fashion --- between bustiers and batik<\/p>\n
Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
When models paraded down the catwalk in Dior's flamenco-style
\nhaute couture in Paris last week, fashion lovers here took
\nnotice.<\/p>\n
But for those with a thirst for world fashion, the ready-to-
\nwear brands turned out by workshops in Singapore, South Korea and
\nTaiwan might just have to do.<\/p>\n
While international fashion proceeds, the country has gone its
\nown way in fashion in the last few years, defined by two distinct
\ncamps of style.<\/p>\n
King of chic Sebastian Gunawan and his host of followers have
\nredefined evening wear by celebrating the glamorous figure-
\nhugging gown, sparkling with beads and sequins and complemented
\nby upswept hair and striking make-up.<\/p>\n
But just as vital are the "holdouts" to the ethnic-style that
\nemerged in the 1980s, a group that includes trendsetting
\ndesigners such as Ghea S. Panggabean as well as younger ones like
\nBiyan.<\/p>\n
"The Indonesian fashion market is unique. World fashion this
\nfall will return to the 1960s but in Indonesia we still have a
\npartiality for evening gowns," said Samuel Mulia, the chief
\neditor of a+ lifestyle magazine who is known for his sharp
\nobservation of the local fashion scene.<\/p>\n
"Our fashion is a reflection of pop culture. Everybody aspires
\nto be like Krisdayanti or to have a figure like Inul
\n(Daratista)," said pioneering batik designer Iwan Tirta,
\nreferring to the country's two most popular singers.<\/p>\n
But despite the penchant for glamor, ethnic-style designers
\ncontinue to hold their own.<\/p>\n
Obin and Baron Manangsang, for example, have successfully
\nintroduced batik printed on lightweight and soft-hued fabric.
\nThey have become popular substitutes for traditional batik cloth,
\noften worn as a shawl in place of a pashmina.<\/p>\n
A former model, now running a textile boutique, admitted that
\nher imitations of Baron's cloth sold well.<\/p>\n
Edward Hutabarat has reinvented the kebaya (the traditional
\nJavanese blouse), conducting seminars across the country and
\ninspiring fashionable women to take his book Busana Nasional
\nIndonesia (Indonesian National Dress) along to their tailors to
\nhave the designs copied.<\/p>\n
The recent division of the Indonesian fashion scene and the
\npreoccupation with western-style clothing can be traced both
\nsocially and culturally.<\/p>\n
"In the 1950s, several years after Indonesia proclaimed its
\nindependence, Christian designers of Chinese descent, like Peter
\nSie, began to make a career out of fashion," Iwan said.<\/p>\n
"They were aware of Western fashion, Dutch-educated, and
\nesthetically influenced by the European elements of their
\nchurches."<\/p>\n
While many of the Chinese-Indonesians had vocational training
\nin cookery or sewing, Iwan said, for male Indonesians, a career
\nas a fashion designer was seen to be something for "sissies".
\nInstead, they were steered to jobs in the civil service.<\/p>\n
The fashion scene expanded with designers like Ghea and Samuel
\nWattimena in the 1980s, and suddenly fashion design was a more
\nacceptable occupation. Still, Chinese-Indonesians such as
\nSebastian and Biyan remain a prominent and important force in the
\nfashion community, he added.<\/p>\n
Another factor influencing fashion today is easy access to
\ninformation, particularly due to the Internet. A copy of a gown
\nworn by a celebrated dresser like actress Nicole Kidman to a red-
\ncarpet event in the United States can be found in stores in
\nJakarta almost overnight.<\/p>\n
Combine this with a flood of high-quality yet inexpensive
\nimported garments, the economic crisis that struck in 1997 and an
\nattendant downturn in the local garment industry from its heyday
\nin the 1980s and 1990s -- and it's clear why some designers are
\nforced to concern themselves with exclusive made-to-order
\ncreations for high-end consumers.<\/p>\n
"This is an unfavorable situation because fashion is
\ndetermined by the user," Iwan said. "Now it can only meet the
\ndesires of a particular social segment."<\/p>\n
"It's a fact but, unfortunately, more inspiration has yet to
\ncome from this country.<\/p>\n
It's a return to the 1970s, when designers bowed to the tastes
\nof a small circle of affluent women. Designs are overwhelmingly
\nmarket-oriented with standard patterns that are safe and
\nsaleable.<\/p>\n
The emphasis is on pretty adornment -- all those beads and
\nsequins -- comes at the expense of any significant change in
\nstyle or inspiration.<\/p>\n
It may seem at first that ethnic-style designs are doomed to
\nbe curiosity pieces, taken out of the closet for traditional
\nceremonies and family gatherings, but otherwise lost in the
\nsmothering embrace of the ball-gown craze.<\/p>\n
Prominent ethnic-style designers are mostly over the age of 40
\nand have a less commercial ethos than some younger designers.<\/p>\n
But the fears are likely to be unwarranted.<\/p>\n
While globalization leads to uniformity in many aspects of
\nlife, it also engenders a backlash by those, including the young,
\ntired of monotony.<\/p>\n
The young design duo Urban Crew featured faded or "shabby"
\nbatik in a recent show, and designer Ary Saputra innovatively
\nincluded woven batik cloth by Baron in his collection. Another
\nyoung designer, Dina Midiani, has continued the tradition of
\npatchwork batik that she began several years ago.<\/p>\n
Oscar Lawalata, who has become a media darling for his
\nandrogynous appearance and is one of the most talented young
\ndesigners, has long had a fascination with traditional Makassar
\nwoven fabric, even using it with a tie-dye motif.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, there does not have to be a winner from the two
\nstyles. Each should develop in its own way, in keeping with
\ntoday's democratic atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Samuel accentuates the positive. The two camps are dominant
\nforces but they aren't responsible for stifling creativity, "it
\njust means that Indonesia may still create its own trends," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Fashion -- Pages 13, 14<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fashion-between-bustiers-and-batik-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }