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.