Bali Fashion Week due to kick of for fifth time

Bali Fashion Week due to kick of for fifth time

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

Indonesia has countless gifted fashion designers whose work
compares favorably to many world-class designers. Yet, only a few
local designers have successfully penetrated international
fashion markets. Many of their creations are only displayed in
local boutiques and department stores.

Mardiana Ika, founder of Moda Bali which organizes the annual
Bali Fashion Week, is of the opinion that many Indonesian
designers are reluctant to take part in international fashion
events.

"It is important to promote your creations at world-class
venues to attract the attention of buyers, fashion critics and
the media," Ika explained.

Ika, whose labels include Hong Kong-based Buttoni, Linea
Sanremo, Iccha, Ikabene, added that local designers must create
their opportunity to grab a share of the international market.

"You cannot just sit and wait for foreign buyers to pick up
your goods," she maintained.

There are a number of talented designers such as Stephanus
Hamy from Jakarta. He was chosen as one of Fashion TV's (FTV)
favorite designers. Anna Avantie from Semarang, Central Java, won
an FTV award recently. Oka Diputra, a young designer from Bali,
was also named one of the three promising designers by Dewi
women's magazine.

"Our young designers still lack some kind of persistence in
pursuing their goals to become world-class designers," Ika said.

The Fifth Bali Fashion Week (BFW) is held to encourage more
young designers to take part in an international-scale fashion
fiesta. The Fifth BFW, to be held between May 27 and May 29 at
the Westin in Nusa Dua resort complex, will incorporate different
programs including a fashion show, fashion trade expo, seminar,
workshops, buyers' meeting and entertainment.

To exchange views and information on the current world
fashion, Ika has invited a number of foreign designers from
Russia, Rumania and other countries. Buyers, she said, will come
from France, Italy, the Netherlands, England, the Middle East
countries, South Africa, the United States, Japan and ASEAN
member countries.

"I really expect that those taking part in BFW will gain
multiple benefits from these arranged programs," maintained Ika,
who is currently participating in Russian Fashion Week in Moscow.

Bearing the theme, One of a Kind, BFW will display
Spring/Summer Collections 2005 created by Indonesian designers
and garment manufacturers across Indonesia.

In the coming BFW, Ika will also invite local artisans
including traditional weavers from all over Indonesia. "Our
country has a rich textile tradition. We plan to include
exhibitions of traditional textile-making to encourage young
people to learn more about their ancient heritage," said Ika.

Held since 2000, BFW has now become a forum for designers,
textile producers and local as well as international buyers.

"Foreign buyers already put BFW in their annual agenda. It
also has become an activity that boosts the tourist industry in
Bali and in Indonesia, in general," she added.

The annual fashion event, fully supported by the Ministry of
Industry and Trade, and The National Export Development Agency,
is a combination of art, trade, education and entertainment.

Ika said a lot of designers took part in the last four BFW
events, but she admitted that only a few of them attracted the
fashion taste of international buyers.

"Most of them displayed outfits with heavy and complicated
fashion flairs, which -- for the time being -- does not fit with
the buyers' taste and international fashion market trend," Ika
explained.

Domestic designers must learn the market demands, which change
rapidly in accordance with seasons and trends. "Yes, we have to
be creative and innovative, but we should also create marketable
products, otherwise all of those clothes will end up in
boutique's storage closets," said Ika, whose labels include
Buttoni, Linea Sanremo, Iccha and Ikabene.

It is high time for Indonesian designers to improve their
design skills and to widen their knowledge and information on
"what's in vogue" in the international fashion scene.

"But, we have to work very hard to improve our products,
including design, materials as well as management and marketing
systems," Ika added.

Data shows that BFW III and BFW IV attracted a significant
number of domestic and foreign buyers with total business deals
amounting to Rp 8.5 billion (BFW III in 2002) and Rp 13.6 billion
last year.