A new elegance dawns in Jakarta, with commercial appeal
A new elegance dawns in Jakarta, with commercial appeal
By Yogita Tahil Ramani
JAKARTA (JP): Sensuality floated through smatterings of black
leaves on a cream slip dress. A turquoise-colored rose on the
model's hair complemented a crepe gabardine spaghetti-strap dress
in grape.
A black, knee-length wool skirt with a single three-quarter
cut revealed to observers a delicate hint of thigh.
Designers flaunted this return to elegance and people basked
in the approach that disclosed something, but did not tell
everything, at a fashion show at Plaza Indonesia's La Moda Cafe,
in Central Jakarta, last week.
Sebastian Gunawan, Stephanus Hamy, Biyan Wanaatmadja, Ghea
Sukarya Panggabean and Poppy Dharsono all adopted this approach
-- elegant wearability with commercial appeal -- and had it
woven, embroidered, cut and wrapped around their ready-to-wears
like an indigenous sheath underscoring their designs.
Silks, lace, georgette, stretch viscose, satins, chiffons and
organzas were fashioned into an array of shades from basic black
and creams, soft hues of pink, blues and greens to striking
splashes of terracota, yellow and purple.
Biyan's latest Studio 133 collection of light-as-water
cocktail slip dresses and destructured jackets were eye-catching.
With assistant Ronald Gaghana, a designer known for his
sophisticated, albeit edgy designs, Biyan's themes were black,
cream and lightness.
He had models catwalking in figure-hugging black stretch
viscose gowns with cream surrounding the waistline, ankle-length
cream pencil pants with embroideries of black leaves around them,
jackets over tops with similar embroideries and knee-length
skirts with single, superb cuts.
Ronald said that 40 percent of the material used for this
collection was imported and on the whole, almost 75 percent of
the recent Studio 133 collections have been made with local
material.
"Prices of Studio 133 outfits have been hiked by 10 percent to
15 percent (already this year)... so if we go higher, we will not
have buyers," Ronald said.
He explained that previous Studio 133 collections, known more
for their exclusive designs than ready-to-wear styles to meet
demands of more practical, career-oriented people, were a thing
of the past.
"There is the elegance with these designs... both for
informal and formal events."
Chic boatneck tops, graphic designs and knee-length skirts
were Sebastian's order of the day, spelling out youth and
practicality. In a sign of continuity from his previous Votum
collection, designs were also in basic black and cream.
There were tops with beads in graphic, ultra-chic designs with
lots of pants and knee-length skirts.
Sebastian said the black series of the collection used up
local material alone, leaving beads as "the imported accessories
to my designs."
"Graphics are done with beads at the hemline or as lined
designs on tops," Sebastian said.
For his designs, each model had a scarf with a huge golden
rose accessorizing the throat.
"Votum outfits in general are usually bought by the middle-to-
upper classes. This collection's skirts and tops range from Rp
150,000 (US$17.50) to Rp 450,000."
Prices for most other outfits, excluding those in the Studio
133 collection which are priced at Rp 400,000 and above, range
from Rp 150,000 to Rp 600,000.
In spite of the loud purples and turquoises, ivories and
golds, Stephanus' collection sustained elegance with its simple
designs. Poppy demonstrated hers through feather-light Chinese-
styled pants and long, flaring tops with bell sleeves, in silks
and chiffons.
With Indonesian motifs based on lurik from Java, ulos from
Sumatra, tikar from Kalimantan style, jumputan (local dyes), Aceh
prints and batiks in Ghea's designs and kebayas, the ethnic
allure was not lost on audiences.