Alta Moda moves to help Bali become major fashion center

Text by I Wayan Juniarta, photos by Murdani Usman

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Bali's dream to be one of the country's major fashion centers may soon be realized with the opening of Alta Moda fashion house in Denpasar.

"Alta Moda's sixth outlet opened in Bali because we believe that Bali is a potential market for high fashion. Besides, we also want to emphasize Alta Moda's international reputation," said Swantomo, the fashion house's public relations manager. He declined to comment, however, on the amount of investment needed to open the Bali outlet.

Set up in November 1992, Alta Moda fashion house has three outlets in Jakarta and two in Surabaya. Its Centro Moda division has two outlets in Jakarta, providing ready-to-wear outfits targeting young people.

Swantomo explained that Alta Moda gained its international reputation due to the quality of materials along with its exclusive designs. At the Bali outlet, fabric prices range from Rp 50,000 per meter to millions of rupiah.

"We also have a fashion consultant who can help customers decide which fabric they need," he said.

Alta Moda's outlet in Bali occupies five shop premises at Mal Bali Galeria, one of Bali's biggest shopping centers located on Jl. Bypass Ngurah Rai in Denpasar, a 10-minute drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport.

The opening of the outlet on Oct. 20 was celebrated with a gala dinner and a fashion show at Bali International Convention Center, Sheraton Nusa Indah in Nusa Dua.

During the event, models from Bali and Jakarta paraded 31 creations from the fashion house's collection in front of hundreds of invited guests. Choreography for the show was prepared by noted choreographer Denny Malik.

"This is part of our spring/summer 2001 collection. We are always a year ahead so when European fashion houses display their winter collections which are not suitable for Indonesia's climate, we display our spring/summer collection in Indonesia," Swantomo said.

Titled Romantic 2001, the fashion show displayed outfits made with the fashion house's variety of fabrics of silk, chiffon, cotton, linen and tulle and enhanced with exquisite embroidered flowers, leafs and other motifs.

Young and bright colors and simple and dynamic designs dominated the fashion house's collection for women while others were elegant, sexy and glamorous.

The men's collection was dominated by formal colors such as blue, black and earth colors, as well as tropical colors.

The show also presented designers Sebastian Gunawan, Eddy Betty and Widhi Budimulya's collections created with Alta Moda fabrics.