Biyan's bridal breathtaker shouts 'I do'

Hera Diani , The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Always known for his supremely feminine, feel-good designs, Biyan has now turned his attention to bridal wear, with a typically outstanding collection for the big day.

For a bride-to-be, picking the right wedding dress is probably the most fun amid the usually chaotic and often misogynistic wedding preparations.

For designers, clearly, bridalwear is a lucrative, nonseasonal business, with orders coming in all year long.

The age of celebrity and rampant TV gossip shows in recent years have contributed to the increasing exposure of wedding dress designers.

Once limited to promotions in bridal and women's magazines, plus the few TV shows on fashion, designers now get their own segments on gossip shows (with at least 40 of them) whenever there is a celebrity wedding.

The most oft-mentioned name for the classic kebaya wedding dress is Adjie Notonegoro, whose intricate designs are adored by many women celebrities, with the prerequisite that they can afford to pay up to Rp 100 million (US$11,112) for an outfit.

Other leading designers include Edward Hutabarat, Didi Budiarjo, Eddy Betty, Ghea Panggabean and Widhi Budimulya.

There are also younger names emerging on the bridal collection scene, such as designer-cum-TV show host Ivan Gunawan, who is also Adjie's nephew, and Anne Avantie. The latter's creations are increasingly popular because of their elegant, intricate details.

In November last year, Josephine "Obin" Werratie Komara of BIN House launched for the first time its bridal sequence despite having been producing wedding dresses for years.

The collection last year comprised an all-white wedding dress collection in different styles: Kebaya, cheongsam and Western- style wedding dress, with a burqa-inspired veil, very beautiful, exotic and elegant.

The latest in the line of designers embracing bridal is Biyan Wanaatmadja, who launched his bridal collection last week.

Like Obin, Biyan has been designing wedding dresses for years, but they were for a limited clientele, mostly friends and colleagues.

One of them was director Jay Subijakto and his wife, who wore beautiful long robe-like tops embellished with red paisley embroidery on their wedding day a couple of years back.

"The wedding segment has always been very important, but it has to be very well planned. I've been working on wedding dresses, but on a word-of-mouth basis. My friends and clients then asked me to launch a wedding collection," Biyan, 48, told a media conference last week.

Last week's launching was no coincidence; November to February is peak wedding season based on the lunar calendar. Muslims, especially, usually get married during this time period.

Under his first line signature style Biyan, the bridal collection is divided into three sequences: Western-style, Oriental themed and Indonesian classical wedding dresses.

Biyan has always been known for ultrafeminine creations, which include elegant and elaborate kebaya copied by many. Therefore, there were no surprises in the classic, very beautiful wedding dresses.

Entitled The Resplendent Ancestry, the collection included a number of kebaya in the different styles of various regions of the country. They included the well-known Javanese style kebaya, a calf-length version and a pretty Balinese kebaya with a satin bow tied at the waist.

Lace, chiffon and georgette, all of them fully adorned with either paillette, beads or gemstones, with colors in Biyan's signature nude hues (off white, beige, peach etc.).

The Western-style wedding dresses are intricate and elegant, in line with the theme, The Age of Innocence.

Some are off the shoulder, others sleeveless and peasant- style, most decorated with pearls.

Some are strongly reminiscent of Vera Wang, with that clean cut and simple yet sensuous line that have made her wedding gowns the choice of many stars.

The Oriental theme dresses, meanwhile, were so stunning that I I secretly wished I were of Chinese descent so I could wear them on my wedding day.

Called The Gilded Cage, this part of the collection ranged from a straightforward cheongsam to one in the style of a Chinese royal robe, made of satin with a flared bottom.

Details are magnificent and extremely elaborate: Floral embroidery, stones, pearls, feather and beads on materials of satin, silk and georgette.

The dresses radiate Eastern sensuality, enigma, beauty yet a fragility from the nude colors instead of the typical bold red.

All of the collection is custom-made, Biyan said, so that for the following year, service is by appointment only.

Orders must be placed three to two months in advance, which include consultation on the kind of style the bride wants.

"So far, this wedding collection is for brides only. Occasionally, if possible, I can design something for the groom as well," Biyan said.

He also plans to distribute the bridal collection in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, where Biyan's creations can be found in exclusive boutiques.

As the wedding dress is custom-made, the price is customized too. With a Biyan evening gown costing up to Rp 18 million ... well, you do the math.