Designers a match for wedding gowns

Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta

It wasn't until the end of the 1980s that it became easier to get Western-style wedding gowns of a good design and quality in this country. Until then, a bride-to-be had to settle for the gowns stocked with bridal houses or beauty parlors, most of which resembled costumes from children's fairy tales.

The dawn of the 1990s saw the debut of several domestic fashion designers specializing in wedding dresses, such as Sebastian Gunawan, Didi Budiardjo, the late Kim Thong, and Susan Budihardjo (who continues to run her own bridal boutique featuring her designs in a Jakarta shopping mall).

Thanks to the presence of these fashion designers, Western- style wedding gowns have begun to assume a more sophisticated look. Their more focused design, techniques and details influenced the style of wedding dresses in the market, and helped shape more discerning consumer tastes.

So it is that the wedding dress business is flourishing these days, while fashion designers are also enjoying this renaissance at the same time. Didi Budiardjo believes that there is a good opportunity for the wedding dress business to develop in the country.

"Every year, buyers can double in number ... for the time being, I haven't started a special line for wedding dresses; but the long-term business prospects are quite bright," said the designer, who first started designing wedding gowns eight years ago.

Sebastian said that he entered the wedding gown business while continuing his career as a fashion designer in 1993 after returning from Italy, where he studied fashion design.

He said that prospects in the bridal dress business were bright because, throughout 2001, he received orders for some 30 wedding dresses -- quite a good business considering that, as DIdi Budiardjo noted, the price of a wedding gown may run three to five times that of a gown for a party.

Several factors lead some of us to prefer to have our wedding dresses made by a fashion designer, instead of being bought off the rack.

First, the bride-to-be wants a wedding dress that really fits her figure, and is made by an expert.

Another factor is improved public appreciation for wedding dresses.

There is now a better understanding of the role of the designer: the fashion designer does not merely make a dress to order, but plays an important role in fielding ideas and providing input.

The practice of throwing grand wedding parties at hotel ballrooms with guests numbering in the hundreds or thousands is one important reason why brides want to stand out on their wedding days.

One factor adversely affecting the business is that women are now choosing to get married at a later age, especially in urban areas.

"At present, women prefer to complete their studies first, pursue a career, and then get married later. The result is that the number of wedding gown consumers has gone down slightly," said Sebastian.

When they finally do make it to the altar, what style do they like? "Indonesians prefer classic-style wedding dresses. The safe one remains their main option. It means a wedding gown with a wide skirt," said Didi.

As for the upper-body part of the dress, a bustier look is now very much in vogue. Of course, the gown should look radiant with beads, crystal or flowers as added accessories. A three-meter- long veil with a simple touch of beads is also deemed fashionable.

Like an evening dress or a ballgown, special meticulousness is needed when making a wedding dress.

"We assume a big responsibility to make a perfect wedding gown. So all elements -- starting from the style to the material and ending with the execution -- must be flawless," Didi said.

A good knowledge of character as well as the figure of a bride-to-be will determine the perfection of a wedding dress, and ensure that she will look herself while wearing it.

The making of a wedding dress must also be technically perfect. A wedding dress with a wide skirt should be fully blown and, at the same time, light as possible so that the bride will not feel heavy in it.

"Model used to wearing wedding gowns on a catwalk sometimes find it hard to wear their own wedding gown during their weddings unless -- the gown is perfectly made," said Didi.

He said that it took him three to four years to be able to perfect wedding gowns to his own design.

Although this business is promising, it is not constraint- free. The most frequent problem is how to marry the wishes of a client with those of a designer. Generally, when a bride-to-be comes to a designer, she already has her own design in mind.

"Once, a young girl came to me and asked me to make her a wedding gown based on Vera Wang's design, as she wanted the gown to look international," Sebastian said.

"Unfortunately, people usually forget that, in the U.S., a wedding party is usually held in a garden or limited space for about 300 guests," he added. "Here in Indonesia, it is held in a spacious hotel ballroom and, for this reason, the wedding gown must be made so the bride will not be dwarfed by the spaciousness of the setting."

It also takes time to complete a dress.

"For me, a wedding gown is like a flower. It must blossom at the right time. In Indonesia, the humidity level is high, so materials such as duchess satin do not stand up well," Didi said.

"Besides, the dusty air will leave a spotlessly white fabric easily soiled. It means that wedding preparation must be made as quickly as possible -- while the making of the gown takes a long time," she added.

Still, despite the constraints, fashion designers get their greatest satisfaction when the bride-to-be also feels content with the gowns they have designed.

"I was happiest when I made a red Western-style wedding gown. At that time, the main theme was Chinese, so all the decorations were red, with a touch of gold," Sebastian said.

Didi Budiardjo and Sebastian Gunawan do not really feel worried about the current competition among wedding dress designers and makers. Each of them has their own market.

"Those with limited resources can rent wedding dresses, while well-off prospective brides can choose their own fashion designer," Didi said.