Designers tell men to let loose in fashion

Designers tell men to let loose in fashion

By Agni Amorita

JAKARTA (JP): Wearing an Indiana Jones-type safari suit, model
George Taka made his way down the catwalk with an unloaded
hunting gun. Behind him marched 23 fellow male models, clad in
similar outfits. The khakhi fabrics were matched with wild animal
prints, snake leather belts and Dr. Jones rounded hats. These
masculine details were then combined with light embroidery, some
were understated and just barely visible while others were
eyecatching.

The collections were part of the week-long Men's Fashion Show
which began earlier this week at the Sahid Jaya Hotel, Jakarta.

"This is my latest collection for men, called Safari 2000,"
explained fashion designer Ramli, who is dubbed the Indonesian
tsar of embroidery.

Ramli believes that men's fashion plays a huge role in the
garment business but that the development of it remains low
profile because of a lack of enthusiasm from both players --
manufacturers and consumers.

"Men are very conservative," complained Ramli, "So there's
hardly any place for those who are fashion conscious."

Ramli's counterpart, hairdresser-turned-businessman Hanky
Tandayu, shares the same opinion. "It's our obligation to tell
men there are places for them to look great and feel good about
their appearance," he said.

They applauded a recent study which recommended that men show
their feelings freely, including crying and wearing brightly
colored outfits.

"There's nothing wrong with it, people won't think you are a
sissy," added Hanky emotionally. "I have just returned from
Milan, where men are wearing various warm colors like orange,
green, yellow and burgundy to follow the latest fashion trends as
the enchanted summer calls," Hanky continued. He showed off his
new Prada orange shoes that he claimed were normal footwear
there. He said these days men in Milan were even having their
eyebrows trimmed.

This was the first time a men's fashion week was held in
Jakarta. It was meant to celebrate the anniversary of Matra, the
monthly men's magazine. But it seems that this reason was not
sufficient enough to attract people, so the event organizer,
Ramli with his firm, PT Ram Sarwigo, added a search contest for
male and female models, called Model Indonesia 2000. But interest
in the male event dipped even lower as ladies fashions took up
almost half the show.

"We have to face reality," said kebaya designer Vicky Sutono
who showed his latest collection under label Vic & Van on the
same catwalk.

"Men's fashion is not so challenging, we only make those
clothes on special order," added Arifan Mas, Vicky's fellow
designer and partner in the label. For the occasion, Vic & Van
made various spread-collar men's shirts for Rp 200,000. Other
local designers who took part in the event tried hard to be
innovative by avoiding "safe" choices in their men's clothing.

They were not offering button-down shirts. Instead they
preferred to look to nostalgia and combined traditional outfits
with modern cutting, as shown in Carmanita's batik collections.

Other influences come from Generation X, reflected in the
collection of Richard's Costume Design that revitalized men's
jackets with short and diagonal inverness capes. Overloaded
fashion details, such as the metallic zipper and large pockets,
were everywhere. Dipa Sumawijaya even created a floral textured
shirt in the feminine colors of pink and purple.