Designers take futuristic approach for 2000 fashion

Designers take futuristic approach for 2000 fashion

By Agni Amorita

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Fashion Designers Association
(APPMI) held its annual Tendance Fashion show on Nov. 18 in the
Jakarta Deutshe Bank's futuristic ballroom.

This venue was chosen because of the harmony between the theme
of the fashion show -- a departure to the new millennium's new
beginning -- and the room's interior, which is detailed with
silvery metal and located on the 24th floor, very much giving it
the appearance of a spaceship.

That is why APPMI chairwoman Poppy Dharsono greeted her guests
-- including the German ambassador to Indonesia -- with a speech
which was broadcast on a big-screen TV and acted like an airplane
captain.

Wearing sunglasses and gloves, she said: "Thank you for flying
APPMI's spaceship. I am sure you will see something great.
Welcome aboard."

This futuristic approach also was taken by the 16 designers
who showed their visions of fashion in 2000. Sharp bright colors,
avant garde tailoring and asymmetric cuts were everywhere. Even
for those known as ethnic designers, the new millennium mania was
strong.

Naniek Rachmat, for example, kept her focus on her identity as
a batik designer, but tweaked her designs into very naughty
Chinese-inspired peacock batik in stretch materials.

"After almost three years of trial and error, I found the
perfect formula for making batik in knitted and stretch fabrics,"
Naniek said after the show. "It seems like now I can fulfill my
obsession to make teenagers proud to wear batik because my batik
is very funky."

In provocative colors such as green and red, Naniek's batik
was designed for the young and hip.

Among the collections there was a sense of renewed optimism
for the new millennium. "We feel it when we create such happy and
colorful collections," said senior APPMI designer Raizal Raiz,
who displayed his metallic colored super-mini pants and skirts in
deconstructed designs.

"We've said good bye to the dark and gloomy colors which have
dominated our market since last year."

This warmth and excitement was not only seen in the fronts of
each design, but their was also great enthusiasm displayed in the
clothes' sides and backs.

A number of the designers placed surprises in the backs of
their designs, including Suzanna Wanasuka, who placed "windows"
in her lingerie-inspired collection. And Etty Bachetta was
inspired by the backs of kimonos to insert very small transparent
bags in the back of her big belts. These back bags gave Etty
Bachetta's dresses a very naughty but desirable look.

The new millennium also provided some mathematical inspiration
for the APPMI designers. Jeanny Johannes, who opened the show,
used an arrow-shaped design as the soul of her collection.

Jeanny, who also introduced an under-the-armpit belt, gave her
arrows a sophisticated look by using contrasting dark and light
colors. Such asymmetric-shaped tailoring was also found in the
collections of Ferry Sunarto, Dina Midiani and Taruna Kusmayadi.

Ferry Sunarto preferred white in his mostly off-the-shoulder
tie-dyed vinyl dresses. While Dina Midiani mixed textures by
employing various materials in a harmonious color gradation.

Taruna Kusmayadi, known as a designer for teens, used black in
his midriff-baring collection, accessorized with pilot caps,
boots and 12-centimeter high heels.

In the futuristic elements such as chrome (mostly found in
Musa Widyatmodjo's collection and the silvery metallic dresses of
Corrie Castubi and Dessy Munaf) the new millennium never seemed
closer, and APPMI's aircraft is ready to fly off to a new
identity.