Is Bali ready to host int'l events?<\/p>\n
By Rita A. Widiadana<\/p>\n
NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): The idea to hold Bali Fashion Week
\nemerged a few years ago, but as Indonesia was badly hit by
\neconomic, social and political upheavals, Mardiana Ika, or just
\nIka, had to postpone her plan.<\/p>\n
Ika is the woman behind Bali Fashion Week 2000, the first
\ninternational fashion trade event in Indonesia, which ended
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Having graduated from the London College of Fashion in l977,
\nIka then worked at German fashion house L' Estelle for a number
\nof years before starting her own company, Butoni Ltd, in Hong
\nKong.<\/p>\n
Since 1985, Ika has been active in a series of international
\nfashion events in major venues such as Paris, Milan, Dusseldorf,
\nSingapore and Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
She used Hong Kong Fashion Week as a model for her own
\norganization, Yayasan Moda Bali, the Moda Bali Foundation.<\/p>\n
\"Hong Kong Fashion Week also started as a very small and
\nunknown fashion trade mart, but it was handled professionally and
\nsoon had its name on the world fashion map,\" Ika said.<\/p>\n
Ika said she would like to develop Bali Fashion Week in the
\nsame way. \"Many people think it a crazy idea, especially since it
\nwas held in time of crisis. But, it is my obsession to put
\nIndonesian fashion on the world stage,\" said Ika.<\/p>\n
However, Ika wants to emphasize Bali Fashion Week more in
\nterms of fashion, art and culture, in addition to the normal
\ntrade and export activities.<\/p>\n
\"Designs and culture as trading tools were the blueprints for
\nBali Fashion Week,\" explained Ika.<\/p>\n
She knew the road to success would be rough. Since early last
\nyear, she began approaching her friends in Bali, Jakarta and
\nother parts of the world to support her idea.<\/p>\n
\"Some were very responsive; others were cold and unfriendly.
\nIt was common, every beginning is difficult,\" she asserted.<\/p>\n
Pia Alisyahbana, owner of the Femina Group, was her driving
\nforce. \"She has opened my mind and given sincere support from the
\nvery beginning,\" Ika said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Pia said it was pity that so much Indonesian talent
\nwas being wasted as there was no forum to showcase their work.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, we have annual fashion shows to set trends, but we still
\ndon't have an international-scale trade mart to attract
\ninternational fashion players to buy Indonesian fashion
\nproducts.\"<\/p>\n
Pia remembered meeting Ika at a major fashion show in Hong
\nKong nine years ago. Ika was staging one of her major house
\nshows, called Alpana F\/W 92, which was developed in China and
\nIndia. In addition, Ika has several other labels: Butoni, Ika,
\nIccha, Ikabene and Linea Sanremo. Most are made in Bali, Hong
\nKong, Germany and China.<\/p>\n
\"Why don't you do all this in Indonesia and give work to your
\nown people?\" Pia asked Ika after the show.<\/p>\n
Since then, Ika's dream was to return to Indonesia. In l995,
\nshe set up her business in Kuta and established Yayasan Moda
\nBali.<\/p>\n
\"To start a business in Bali was inspiring, but to start
\nthinking about holding a fashion trade mart was another problem,\"
\nrecalled Ika.<\/p>\n
Ita Munaf from the Jakarta Tourism Promotion Board (Jakprom)
\ncontinued to back the idea to organize Bali Fashion Week.<\/p>\n
\"I've know her for a long time and her idea was artistically
\nviable but technically difficult,\" Ita said.<\/p>\n
To attract foreign buyers to an event in Indonesia would be
\nvery hard because of image and security problems.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is suffering from a very serious image problem in
\nthe international world and it would not be easy to convince
\npeople to come to Indonesia,\" said Ita, an expert in convention
\nand tourism promotion.<\/p>\n
She said Indonesia is considered a troubled country which
\nshould be avoided by investors and tourists.<\/p>\n
Despite the crisis, Bali still retains its attractiveness as
\none of the world's top tourist destinations.<\/p>\n
\"To hold such an international event in Jakarta is too risky.<\/p>\n
Only a few potential buyers would dare travel to Jakarta,\" Ita
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Ita believes that, at present, it is wise to organize big
\nevents in Bali.<\/p>\n
Rocky, managing director of Panorama Convex convention
\norganizer, agreed that Bali is the most appropriate place to hold
\nan international event.<\/p>\n
\"For the time being, we cannot sell Jakarta as a business or
\ntourist center,\" Rocky said.<\/p>\n
Rocky said all fashion players, business parties and
\nconvention organizers, must support an event such as Bali Fashion
\nWeek.<\/p>\n
\"The problem is whether Bali is ready to accommodate large-
\nscale events -- in terms of facilities, human resources and
\ninfrastructure,\" said Rocky.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/is-bali-ready-to-host-intl-events-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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