'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