Sparkle and glamor, despite wartime

Sparkle and glamor, despite wartime

Muara Bagdja
Contributor
Jakarta

"Make Fashion, Not War." This was the opening line printed on
the invitations to Didi Budihardjo's fashion show held recently.
Fashion aficionados in Jakarta really flocked in huge numbers to
witness the designer's response to the current war, which was
translated into light, attractive and easy-to-comprehend
creations -- a huge relief and true contrast to the unpleasant
stories and images of bloodshed occurring elsewhere.

His collection was imbued with elegant beauty that was smartly
blended with glamor of a classy kind.

Meanwhile, in the midst of the recent antiwar demonstrations
in the city, a new shopping center -- Kelapa Gading Mal 3 -- was
officially opened last week. On one of its floors is The Catwalk
-- a specially designed area of boutiques selling garments
created by leading Indonesian fashion designers. The luxurious
and stylish boutiques in this location are a long-awaited
acknowledgement of the talent of local designers.

Nightgowns seem to be the favorite of most boutiques in this
location. Albeit coming from the hands of different designers --
each with his or her own specific style -- the gowns had one
thing in common: sparkling beads, sequins and adornments.

The two events above at least give some indication of the
world of fashion or its current state in most of Indonesia's
major cities. First, it shows that local fashion is still alive
and growing. It also expresses, in a very visible way, the
sentiment, "Let's be fashionable and look pretty, rather than
getting entangled in any kind of war." However, the atmosphere is
all about appreciating the highly creative work of our designers
and not about festivities or noisy parties.

Second, the dresses displayed are definitely in tune with
consumer tastes and today's trends, though the nuances in styling
are not entirely new as they are reminiscent of yesterday's
looks.

This highly romantic and elegant style not only dominates
fashion shows, boutiques or wedding receptions, but also the
entertainment and music shows on almost every television station
in the country.

Even Inul Daratista -- the phenomenal dangdut (local music
with Arabic and Indian nuances) singer, whose fame is rising like
a meteor -- with her trademark, tight, sensual costumes in
catsuit style, has now moved her stage appearance in a more
elegant direction by wearing a beaded bustier.

That is what Indonesian fashion looks like today. It is indeed
different from what is going on elsewhere in the world, where
beads and glamorous adornments are gradually being discarded as
the global trend returns to a simplicity that is enhanced with
unique cuts. These latter are now seen and accepted in many
Western countries as the new epitome of glamor.

The dress worn by Nicole Kidman during the Oscars recently is
one clear example. With no frills or beads, Jean Paul Gaultier's
creation still emanated glamor via its attractive cut. And the
accessories were beautifully simple: a pair of earrings in the
shape of teardrops, instead of glaring, giant-sized adornments.

Having a different mind-set from their Western counterparts,
Indonesian women are known still to be fond of classy, rich and
expensive dresses. That is the way they prefer to appear in
public. Hence, the simple style that is currently in fashion in
other countries -- mostly Western -- is rarely found here.

Fashion often reflects the conditions or attitudes of society
within a country. It can also represent dreams. While glamorous
and expensive dresses are normally associated with the rich in
most developed countries, here in Indonesia, whose economy has
yet to stabilize, fantasy is probably behind the costly and
glamorous look. The artificial luxury seems to lull the wearer
into a false sense of prosperity.

Indeed, for daily activities, the option is "down-to-earth"
dresses, which, unfortunately, are mostly dominated by foreign
designers.

In this category, the products of designers from neighboring
countries, such as Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, are currently
enjoying good sales due to their high quality and reasonable
price.

Among the popular items is the gypsy-style blouse with
crumpled shoulder and wide sleeves. Knee-length skirts are
preferred to the sexier, shorter ones.

Neutral colors, including cream and black, still dominate most
dresses. For working women, jackets and blazers seem to be the
first choice, which they wear with shirts having diagonal motifs
or frilly accents. The soft, pastel colors are just right for the
dry season, already approaching.