Bali Fashion Week V: Show goes on despite behind the scenes issues

Bali Fashion Week V: Show goes on despite behind the scenes issues

Agatha Belinda, Contributor, Nusa Dua, Bali

The mood at the Westin Resort's convention center felt a tad too
calm during Bali Fashion Week V (BFW) at the end of May.

After Minister of Industry and Trade Rini Soewandi inaugurated
the event, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, buyers,
journalists and a few others flocked together, swarming quietly
through the trade exhibition, the seminars and the stands with
amazing traditional weavers, quietly wishing for the ballroom to
open, where the more glitzy matter of a fashion show would take
place each night of the three-day event.

Hours later, the square-shaped catwalk, with its high-tech
lighting, four huge projection screens and a giant screen
backdrop, looked glorious and excitement grew among the now
dressy onlookers.

Of course, the "glam" game is nothing new to anyone. So, what
was there to talk about?

There were a few designers, designs, techniques and what-not,
but understanding the big picture -- the struggle behind putting
on an event like BFW and its place in Indonesia's fashion
industry -- clearly screams for more urgency, a point the
industry cannot afford to miss.

BFW was her brainchild and Mardiana Ika is naturally
protective of her baby. The chairman of Moda Bali, BFW's event
organizer, Ika had received a lot of flack from the start. She is
herself a successful designer of Ika and Butoni, Hong Kong-based,
China mass produced labels, among others, and she did not
hesitate to give her colleagues access to her international
connections, such as those from FTV, Book Moda Italia, Japan's
Business Fashion News, Greece's Harper's Bazaar, etc, who showed
up to cover the event.

From the beginning, she had lured buyers -- including her own
-- from Hong Kong, Italy, the U.S, Japan, Paris, etc, to take the
long trip down to Bali -- a gesture that, ironically, has
backfired on her.

Past participants are still complaining that the buyers who
attended the event last year were mostly Ika's friends.

"Yes, it's true!" admitted Ika straight away, "and it wasn't
easy to ask them to come again after so many disappointments over
late, low quality, unreliable or, even worse, no deliveries on
their previous orders. All the other buyers were long gone after
the third year and now many of my friends have had enough."

Despite some negativity and controversy surrounding BFW, its
intended purpose has mainly been a positive one: to do a fashion
event that involves a trade show with the hope of generating
exports, mass production and business expansion. It's a concept
that is decidedly different than the norm.

Long accustomed to fashion shows for the purpose of publicity,
made-to-order and private sales, most designers haven't truly
grasped what this "new" concept really means and how to assess
it. It's like throwing a boomerang without realizing that it's
going to come right back, and no one is ready to catch it.

Kavita Thulasidas was enthused to do some buying for her
upscale boutique Stylemart, but decided to hold off.

"It just seems that the designers are not set up to take
orders. Some don't know how to quote me. They haven't
even priced their items yet," said the Singaporean.

First-time BFW participant Chaliet Bamban, who came out with a
sensual, sophisticated, fresh take on batik, agreed that buyers
seemed wary about orders not being met. Although she has exported
to Switzerland and the U.S on her own, with the time-consuming
hand-printed silk fabrics she makes, a substantial, added order
would be almost impossible to fulfill. Her taking part in the
event was mostly for publicity.

On a last minute decision, Sabbath Eberhard secured the Rp 4.5
million fee for a booth to display his spanking new accessory
line, 7 Pers. It's a decision he is glad he made.

"We got so many orders for samples, we are so busy this week
buying materials and making products," said the cheery
designer. "Our buyers are from Europe, New Zealand, Singapore,
etc. We'll definitely come back next year."

It's the opposite case for Jakarta-based accessory designer
Elizabeth Wahyu. She decided not to participate this year after
feeling dissatisfied last year.

"I just don't think it's worth it. I spent about Rp 20 million
in cost for (fees and trip expenses) but there were only a few
buyers around," she said. "I ended up breaking even by selling my
stuff to friends and fellow participants."

There were even fewer buyers in attendance this year, but Ika
insists that they were the more serious kind.

"I'm happy with the way things turned out. The quality of the
participants was better this time around," said the
designer who belongs to Chambre Syndicale, the most prestigious fashion
organization in France. "US$45,000 of total samples was sold in
the first week."