Designers in search of trends

Designers in search of trends

Muara Bagdja, Contributor, The Jakarta Post

In the quest to design typically Indonesian fashion with an
Eastern, tropical touch, about 30 leading designers affiliated
with the Indonesian Fashion Business & Designers Association
(APPMI) launched their Trend Show 2002 last weekend.

"We wish to show the public that Indonesian fashion trends are
here to stay. Through various garment shows, we are trying to
forge Indonesian fashion from the philosophy of eastern tropical
countries," said Musa Widyatmodjo, chairman of APPMI, one of the
country's designer organizations.

In Musa's perception, this philosophy is reflected in graphic
details, an adherence to decency and subdued colors, which are
preferred by Indonesian women. "That's why the show this time is
themed 'Tropical Essence'," he said.

The program was scheduled to have been held two weeks earlier
as a highlight of a major international textile exhibition in
Jakarta. However, due to the current security situation, the expo
has been postponed until next March and the show held on Saturday
was restricted to the media and buyers.

Designers had the freedom to translate the theme according to
their creativity, insight and capability of adaptation.
Contemporary and ethnic dresses appeared on stage presented in
different styles.

Raizal Rais, for instance, presented knitted designs in the
style of light-colored asymmetrical halters, resembling the
patterns he adopted several years back. Using the theme of
boxing, Malik Moestaram turned boxing-style garments into
variants of present-day youth wear.

Cotton blouses with long skirts to match were Jadin's main
item, followed by checkered long skirts and short jackets in the
country cowboy designs of Susilo Krisnanto.

Musa, inspired by Sumatra's cultural treasures, introduced his
tunic with fine, delicate designs embroidered on thin material.
Jazz Pasay's collection displayed Papuan tribal motifs on blouses
and skirts, with Ardyanto flaunting embroidered Indonesian kebaya
(traditional blouses) and earth-toned coastal batiks.

But the association might have forgotten the show's mission,
which was to expose new trends in fashion, rather than to just
present the professional activities of its members. It should
have included their paradigm of fashion wear, their styling and
processing of unique material, motifs and colors.

New fashion trends should offer alternative apparel and ways
to dress.

Likewise, they seemed to have overlooked the fact that the
market is not limited to Indonesian designs today, but there are
now products from Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong, which often
look more fashionable, modern and are of better quality.

Consumers in today's major cities are acutely aware of keeping
up a trendy appearance and using fashionable products, while the
innovations made widespread by information and technology have
shifted their demand for fresh, ever-changing styles.

Thus, it was ironic that the show featured models who came out
in shin-length hemmed skirts, which looked distinctly old-
fashioned. There were still short sheer blouses with sarongs in
1970s styles, despite the current frenzy of new Indonesian
fashion. Are the tulle blouses that we find in teen boutiques and
the Mangga Dua wholesale heaven not good enough to be part of
this trend?

There were lace blouses and Spanish ruffled dresses more
suited to dancers taking a spin and a combination of diverse
styles, which lead to an overall sense of disharmony.

Thankfully, several designers retained their understanding and
sense of fashion in making trendy ready-to-wear outfits.

Dina Midiani, who is also an instructor at several fashion
schools, is known for her patterns and design flair.

She has opened a new horizon in material arrangement by the
technique of patching and linking. Most interesting was her
combination of diagonally striped batiks with laced fabrics and
embroidery to create unique, attractive and novel dresses and
gowns.

"Many Indonesians are still fond of glamorous attire, though
it is now about time that we present more personal and expressive
wear," she said.

Danny Kho was another designer with the same concept for the
men's collection. A graduate of fine arts from France combined
batik pieces, strips in patchwork to produce pants and shirts
with a modern and progressive look.

Sofie's garment selection, meanwhile, offered hippy and
bohemian-style hipsters and asymmetrical blouses with bat
sleeves.

Taruna Kusmayadi also emerged with a new concept by ignoring
conventional rules of design and style. Inspired by birds, he
brought ponchos or loose blouses together with hip-hop baggy
pants of metallic denim in aggressive and radical patterns.

"Fashion is now universal. I want to show that Indonesia also
has the style that is in vogue globally," he said.

This fashion show was APPMI's ninth annual program. The
audience seemed dissatisfied with the lack of novelty as well as
negligence in elementary matters like neatness and choice of
material.

As the show's participants came from various backgrounds, the
association should reposition its members or seek other ways of
public exposure, such as presenting only its best designers or
requiring senior members to introduce fresh styles.

Designers have a professional and moral responsibility to
inform the public of fashion trends and how to dress well.
Unfortunately, up to now only a few of them have mastered the
right way of presenting their works at fashion shows.