Singers tuned in to trendsetting fashions<\/p>\n
Muara Bagdja
\nContributor
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Top singers, the likes of Krisdayanti, Titi DJ and dangdut diva
\nInul Daratista, know that to be true professionals they need to
\nput their careers in professional hands.<\/p>\n
That includes surrounding themselves with capable managers,
\nmake-up artists and fashion designers to share their expertise.<\/p>\n
\"As a singer I concentrate on my show, for example, my voice,
\nmy choreography and my rehearsals with the music group. As my
\ndress provides vital support for my performance, I need
\nprofessional help from a designer,\" said Titi DJ.<\/p>\n
Ruth Sahanaya, who began her career in the 1980s and has
\ngained success in the pop and Christian music segments, agrees
\nwith her and is a walking advertisement for local designers.<\/p>\n
\"When I appear on stage, I usually don attire designed by our
\nown designers. My dress is custom-made. I tell you that the works
\nof our Indonesian designers are excellent. You have greater self-
\nconfidence if you put on something that a designer has made,\"
\nsaid Ruth, better known as Uthe.<\/p>\n
Designers like Sebastian Gunawan (favored by Titi), Didi
\nBudiardjo, Biyan, Ronald V Gaghana, Adjie Notonegoro, Denny
\nWirawan, Eddy Betty and newcomer Sally Koeswanto are some of the
\nbig names creating fashions for entertainers.<\/p>\n
It's a two-way, mutually beneficial relationship: Designers
\nwelcome the professional attitude and fame of the singers in
\npromoting their creations, while the latter get to wear the very
\nbest of local fashion.<\/p>\n
\"A singer must consult a designer to ensure that whatever she
\nputs on will really match her. We designers can show them the
\nright clothes to wear,\" said Adjie, now designing for singers
\nReza and Iis Dahlia as well as Inul, the hottest thing to hit the
\nlocal music scene in years.<\/p>\n
As high-paid professionals -- Inul reportedly gets at least Rp
\n45 million a performance, and Krisdayanti probably earns several
\nmillion more -- the singers are required to please the public by
\nlooking their very best.<\/p>\n
\"Singers draw in an audience not only with their voice but
\nalso with their appearance,\" Uthe acknowledged.<\/p>\n
With the tabloid and fashion press watching for every
\npotential fashion faux pas, performers cannot wear the same
\noutfit to several shows in a row.<\/p>\n
Petite Uthe, although preferring the soft-pastel tones of
\nBiyan, said she realized that she needed to try different things
\nto ensure she is not stuck in one outdated image.<\/p>\n
Several months ago, when the miniskirt made a comeback, she
\nwore one. For a recent TV appearance, she put on a dress by Didi
\nBudiardjo in lace and shantung, with a sabrina cut at the
\nshoulders that spread broadly from the waist down.<\/p>\n
\"This time the style resembled that of Audrey Hepburn,\" Uthe
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Some entertainers feel completely at ease in the creations of
\na particular designer.<\/p>\n
\"Once you try Sebastian Gunawan's design, you will always want
\nhim to design your clothes,\" Titi said. \"He gives you real
\ncomfort. The bustier part fits well so your breasts remain firmly
\nin place.\"<\/p>\n
And the singers and their designers know that the former's
\nhigh-profile appearance can spark a fashion trend when they wear
\none of their creations.<\/p>\n
A saleswoman in a boutique at an East Jakarta mall recollected
\nhow two young women came in searching for a pair of knee-length
\npants matching those wore by Krisdayanti on her TV show the night
\nbefore.<\/p>\n
Before the ascension of Inul, there was Krisdayanti, the girl
\nfrom East Java who landed on Asia Bagus, the region's equivalent
\nof Star Search, and has since made a name for herself as a savvy
\nentertainer. Her style -- whether it's a bouffant hairdo today or
\na wig tomorrow, colored contact lenses, streetwear or ballgowns
\n-- is duly noted and copied.<\/p>\n
Titi DJ was known for wearing a beret at one time in her
\ncareer, a style copied by many other trendy young women. Permed
\nhair came in because of several singers adopting the style.
\nInul's pantsuits are also catching on; she has made it acceptable
\nfor short, stockier women to wear pants without fear of looking
\n\"hippy\".<\/p>\n
The entertainers allocate a budget for their wardrobe, working
\nout the price with their designers.<\/p>\n
Uthe said singers needed to be clever in mixing their attire
\nfor different events.<\/p>\n
\"We have to be smart in arranging the wearing of our dresses.
\nIf you put on a particular dress in Jakarta, then next time wear
\nit somewhere else. If you would like to put on the same dress a
\nsecond time, let some time go by before you wear it.<\/p>\n
\"Or, modify the dress here and there before putting it on a
\nsecond time,\" she said.<\/p>",
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