Rika puts her stamp on evening wear<\/p>\n
Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Rika Sulaiman knows that, like it or not, fashion designers
\ncannot let their designs speak for themselves. Sooner or later,
\nthey have to grab the public's attention and put a face to their
\nbrand.<\/p>\n
After eight years of designing from her studio, Rika presented
\nher debut collection at a five-star hotel in Central Jakarta last
\nmonth. It was not the usual reception for a first-time
\ncollection, with the regular band of fashion hacks and a couple
\nof friends making up the audience.<\/p>\n
Instead, about 700 people, including many longtime customers
\nand journalists, showed up, with some forced to stand due to a
\nlack of seats.<\/p>\n
She deserved to feel pleased by the success of the show, which
\nfeatured three wedding dresses among the 67 designs.<\/p>\n
The imposing decoration of the catwalk, including gold pillars
\nflanking a gold backdrop, the glamourous collection and the
\naudience gave the designer the strong image and firm footing she
\nneeded in taking her designs to a larger market.<\/p>\n
The designs were dominated by body-hugging, but elegant
\nevening gowns cut in the style of a mermaid. They were sexily cut
\nand designed to catch the attention of onlookers, using a variety
\nof colors and embroidered decorations taken from nature, such as
\nbutterflies, plants, peacocks and fish.<\/p>\n
Accessories were kept to a minimum of chokers and dangling
\nearrings, to accentuate the dresses.<\/p>\n
The intended wearers? Mature women from the upper income
\nbracket.<\/p>\n
\"Anywhere she is, a woman craves to be the center of
\nattention. So, my eye-catching designs for evening gowns allow a
\nwoman to make her wish come true,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Glamorous evening gowns are found virtually everywhere now, so
\nthere was an inevitable touch of \"seen this before\" about the
\ncollection. There is also no denying that Rika knows what she is
\ndoing, and has already attracted a loyal following.<\/p>\n
\"Two days after the show, I had 20 orders for these gowns,\"
\nRika said. \"(Singer) Ruth Sahanaya has also ordered one. Then an
\nIndonesian singer who will compete in a competition in Kazakhstan
\nhas also decided to wear a dress that I designed. I have also
\nreceived an offer for other designs,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Born in Jakarta 33 years ago, Rika began sketching dresses
\nwhen she was only four years old.<\/p>\n
\"In the classroom, she kept on drawing and sometimes paid no
\nattention to the lessons. When we had a test, she would copy my
\nanswers,\" joked popular emcee Becky Tumewu, who was Rika's
\nelementary school classmate.<\/p>\n
Today, Becky and TV show host Indi Barends are among Rika's
\nregular customers<\/p>\n
Her childhood love of fashion led to her studying at SMODIA, a
\nfashion design school. In 1987 she enrolled in another fashion
\ndesign school, Susan Budihardjo Fashion Designing Institute. As
\nshe was not satisfied with the European designs that she had
\nlearned in these two fashion schools, she also studied at the
\nTokyo Dressmaking School to learn the Japanese style.<\/p>\n
Rika remained drawn to fashion design even after she got
\nmarried. In 1995 she began to run her own business but considered
\nit more of a hobby, receiving orders from close friends and
\nrelatives.<\/p>\n
Word of mouth spread the news about her designs. At first she
\nfocused on designing casual and business dresses, but by 1998 she
\nwas designing evening, party and wedding gowns.<\/p>\n
She has an interesting approach to designing, making both a
\nsketch of the design and a sample dress so that the customer can
\nsee how the design appears.<\/p>\n
\"Usually, a customer cannot imagine the dress too much from a
\nsketch; that's why I make the sample. Then my customer may ask me
\nto make changes here and there to suit her wishes,\" she said.<\/p>\n
In a week she makes at least two dresses for herself, calling
\nherself \"totally addicted\".<\/p>\n
Rika is content that her childhood ambition has come true.<\/p>\n
\"For me, there is no greater satisfaction than making a dress.
\nI'm really satisfied,\" she said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rika-puts-her-stamp-on-evening-wear-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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