Adrian Gan comes into his own

Adrian Gan comes into his own

Text by Asniar Sahab

JAKARTA (JP): From a start as a dressmaker, Adrian Gan is now
drawing the attention of the country's fashion world. His
designs, reflecting his fine, innovative techniques of crooked
patterns and cutting, were displayed at the Regent Hotel in South
Jakarta earlier this month.

He may not be a top name among the public, but his regular
customers know him as quiet and hard-working, with a meticulous
attention to detail on his evening gowns.

In 1982 he moved from Sukabumi, West Java, to Jakarta, where
he studied at Susan Budhiarjo fashion school. He took part in a
design sketch competition and won first prize.

Relying on his talent, the formal education he got from
Susan's school, several years' experience in the fashion world
and his limited capital, Adrian opened his dress-making business
in Sunter, North Jakarta, in 1986.

Adrian has pursued his career as a quality dressmaker,
especially for exclusive evening gowns. As the years have gone
by, more and more women came to him to have their dresses made
(his regular clientele includes members of several prominent
business families in the country).

After 15 years in the business, Adrian, despite his ability to
make his own designs, has never claimed to be a fashion designer.
Instead, he always identified himself as a dressmaker. However, a
meeting with fashion designer Eddy Betty encouraged him to hold a
solo fashion show. It took him six months to prepare the show.

"I have a good collection of cloth as I usually buy it when I
go to the States and Australia. Then I will usually go to Paris
to buy better quality cloth. I took it all upon myself, from
creating the concept of the design up to detailed finishing of
the gowns," he said after his solo show.

The show was evidence that the local fashion community needs
to recognize the presence of Adrian, who displayed 62 haute
couture designs. These designs presented themselves as fine
alternatives to the luxurious gowns now the objects of
competition among fashion designers.

While the style of the lines he made in his designs showed the
influence of Sebastian, Didi Budhiarjo and Eddy Bety, the way the
designs were created, his pecah pola and cutting techniques,
including his excellent knowledge of the materials and the
accessories he chose, demonstrated Adrian's class and high taste.

His creativity in combining the feminine style of the 1920s
with the boisterous look of the 1980s distinguishes his designs
from his counterparts. His collection is interesting because the
gowns are made with materials which are processed with a special
technique in contemporary coloring. He also uses fine silk,
chiffon, lace, taffeta and genuine leather to ensure that the
gowns give an impression of glamor, femininity and modernity.

Adrian said he titled the show "Unfinished" because in the
process of creating his works he was haunted by restlessness and
dissatisfaction. These two feelings, fortunately, inspired him
when creating his designs. Elegant gowns with feminine cuts and
tight silhouettes revealing the shape of the body were exhibited,
along with unfinished gowns showing other parts of the body.

"What I meant to say is that we should not be overly concerned
with perfect finishing. I, for example, have introduced a sewing
technique usually used for materials with a crooked pattern in
the form of a handkerchief. In some cases, I have gone as far as
to damage the materials to get an aesthetic and unique effect,"
he said.

His gowns have a different look from haute couture pieces in
various colors. His strength, persistence and seriousness in
processing all his designs give enough room for him to show his
excellence in the highly challenging fashion world.

His solo show brought him good fortune, with about 40 percent
of the dresses sold after the show. With a boost to his
confidence in his designs, Adrian is resolved to put the
management of his business in better order. He has vowed to
attend fashion shows organized by fellow fashion designers and
promised to stage an annual show. He has now made his appearance
and proclaimed himself a fashion designer. His designs show he
fully deserves the title.