'Busana Muslim' business endures share of growing pains
'Busana Muslim' business endures share of growing pains
JAKARTA (JP): As with all blossoming businesses, the busana Muslim (Moslem fashion) industry will have to endure its share of growing pains.
Dimas Mahendra is one of many designers annoyed by the vulgar commercialization of the industry.
"Busana Muslim should cover everything except the face and the hands. Just because an outfit is worn with a head-dress doesn't make it busana Muslim," Mahendra said.
Mahendra isn't the only one concerned about the development of busana Muslim. His colleagues at the Indonesian Fashion Designer Association, share his worry. Hermina Kusnadi is one designer concerned about the definition.
"We're trying to formalize the limits of what busana Muslim can show," said Kusnadi. Having started designing in 1983, Kusnadi now belongs to both the association and Yayasan Karima, a foundation of busana Muslim designers that strive to develop the art of busana Muslim and expand business opportunities for its members.
In a lot of ways, busana Muslim is an old kid in a new town. The fashion dates back to the 7th century, with its modern-day survivors in Indonesia being West Sumatra's modest baju kurung and South Sulawesi's loose-fitting baju bodo. Dutch colonization and 20th century modernization, however, transformed Indonesian society and made way for Western dress styles.
The booming 1980s brought more confidence to the Indonesian economy and public. Wearing busana Muslim became a sign of religious piety, economic affluence, and cultural independence. When restrictions on wearing jilbab (head scarf) in school were lifted in 1991 -- a victory for university students who insisted on dressing piously -- busana Muslim became even more accepted among mainstream society.
Today busana Muslim designers report healthy sales. During the month of Ramadhan, orders from both department stores and clients can double.
"Moslem women want to be in busana Muslim style at least once a year, especially those over 50 years old," Mahendra, one of the industry's few male designers, said.
"Women are becoming more aware that these clothes are for everyday wear, so business prospects are good," said Mahendra. But steady profits are no longer enough.
"It's nice to make money, but we feel this responsibility to give the public real busana Muslim, which covers all the aurat (the entire body excluding palms and face)," said Kusnadi. "Busana Muslim should also never be tight. As for design, it doesn't matter how detailed it is," added Mahendra.
Yayasan Karima, led by Ida Royani, is a step in the right direction, not only to supervise busana Muslim esthetics but to strengthen the movement, said Kusandi.
"We want not only to help ourselves but also struggling busana Muslim designers. We should share our success," Kusnadi said.
The success is currently shared mainly by women. This year Taruna Kusmayadi and Yongki Suadi joined Mahendra and Raizal Rais in the trade, but, unlike the male-dominated mainstream fashion industry, busana Muslim business is a female domain. Kusnadi sees this trend as "merely a coincidence".
"Yayasan Karima just wants to gather designers who concentrate on busana Muslim. Many other designers design mainstream collections as well as busana Muslim, so their minds are on other things," Kusnadi said. She disagrees that gender discrimination plays a role.
"The male designers work very well with us ibu-ibu (housewives). Taruna is always offering advice on trends and marketing," said Kusnadi.
That advice is needed for the industry to achieve economies of scale. Despite strong sales at outlets like Pasaraya and Cinere Mall, busana Muslim is still very much a home industry. The average designer, like Kusnadi, produces 200 to 300 pieces a month. Feni Mustafa, regarded as a large-scale manufacturer, produces 750 pieces a month outside the Ramadhan season. The designers work out of small studios and employ under a dozen seamstresses.
The small-scale production impedes expansion and limits the market.
"We're saving up to start a teenage busana Muslim counter, but it will take awhile," said Kusnadi. Currently, busana Muslim designers count on upper-middle class housewives as customers. They will pay between Rp 200,000 and Rp 800,000 for an outfit.
Trendy and youthful Muslim fashions will have to wait.
"You have to lower prices to break into the teenage market," said Kusnadi.
Anne Rufaidah, whose Rp 100 million collection was destroyed during the floods this year, says it's not an easy business, especially when trying to break the mass market.
"If we sell to stores, we only get a quarter of the profits," said Rufaidah.
"We don't have the capacity to produce anything cheaper yet," added Mahendra. Rais is among one of the few designers making inroads with fashionable Moslem teens.
"I'm working with one of the teen magazines to promote busana Muslim," said Rais.
The opening of the teenage market makes room for more competition -- competition that is surprisingly welcome. True to Moslem teachings, busana Muslim designers exercise a modesty that has escaped the mainstream rag trade. Many designers entered the business owing to personal conviction, and persevere with the same religious piety.
Rufaidah began designing in 1981 when she decided to wear a jilbab.
"According to the Koran, your behavior, speech and actions should be in line with ibadah (religious devotion). I wanted my work to follow ibadah," said Rufaidah.
Religious devotion serves not only as inspiration, but as mental support.
"Competition is definitely increasing, but I'm not scared," said Kusnadi. "God is fair with fortune, so if your designs are good, Insya Allah (God willing) it will sell," she said.
--Dini S. Djalal