Fashion --- between bustiers and batik

Fashion --- between bustiers and batik

Muara Bagdja, Contributor, Jakarta

When models paraded down the catwalk in Dior's flamenco-style
haute couture in Paris last week, fashion lovers here took
notice.

But for those with a thirst for world fashion, the ready-to-
wear brands turned out by workshops in Singapore, South Korea and
Taiwan might just have to do.

While international fashion proceeds, the country has gone its
own way in fashion in the last few years, defined by two distinct
camps of style.

King of chic Sebastian Gunawan and his host of followers have
redefined evening wear by celebrating the glamorous figure-
hugging gown, sparkling with beads and sequins and complemented
by upswept hair and striking make-up.

But just as vital are the "holdouts" to the ethnic-style that
emerged in the 1980s, a group that includes trendsetting
designers such as Ghea S. Panggabean as well as younger ones like
Biyan.

"The Indonesian fashion market is unique. World fashion this
fall will return to the 1960s but in Indonesia we still have a
partiality for evening gowns," said Samuel Mulia, the chief
editor of a+ lifestyle magazine who is known for his sharp
observation of the local fashion scene.

"Our fashion is a reflection of pop culture. Everybody aspires
to be like Krisdayanti or to have a figure like Inul
(Daratista)," said pioneering batik designer Iwan Tirta,
referring to the country's two most popular singers.

But despite the penchant for glamor, ethnic-style designers
continue to hold their own.

Obin and Baron Manangsang, for example, have successfully
introduced batik printed on lightweight and soft-hued fabric.
They have become popular substitutes for traditional batik cloth,
often worn as a shawl in place of a pashmina.

A former model, now running a textile boutique, admitted that
her imitations of Baron's cloth sold well.

Edward Hutabarat has reinvented the kebaya (the traditional
Javanese blouse), conducting seminars across the country and
inspiring fashionable women to take his book Busana Nasional
Indonesia (Indonesian National Dress) along to their tailors to
have the designs copied.

The recent division of the Indonesian fashion scene and the
preoccupation with western-style clothing can be traced both
socially and culturally.

"In the 1950s, several years after Indonesia proclaimed its
independence, Christian designers of Chinese descent, like Peter
Sie, began to make a career out of fashion," Iwan said.

"They were aware of Western fashion, Dutch-educated, and
esthetically influenced by the European elements of their
churches."

While many of the Chinese-Indonesians had vocational training
in cookery or sewing, Iwan said, for male Indonesians, a career
as a fashion designer was seen to be something for "sissies".
Instead, they were steered to jobs in the civil service.

The fashion scene expanded with designers like Ghea and Samuel
Wattimena in the 1980s, and suddenly fashion design was a more
acceptable occupation. Still, Chinese-Indonesians such as
Sebastian and Biyan remain a prominent and important force in the
fashion community, he added.

Another factor influencing fashion today is easy access to
information, particularly due to the Internet. A copy of a gown
worn by a celebrated dresser like actress Nicole Kidman to a red-
carpet event in the United States can be found in stores in
Jakarta almost overnight.

Combine this with a flood of high-quality yet inexpensive
imported garments, the economic crisis that struck in 1997 and an
attendant downturn in the local garment industry from its heyday
in the 1980s and 1990s -- and it's clear why some designers are
forced to concern themselves with exclusive made-to-order
creations for high-end consumers.

"This is an unfavorable situation because fashion is
determined by the user," Iwan said. "Now it can only meet the
desires of a particular social segment."

"It's a fact but, unfortunately, more inspiration has yet to
come from this country.

It's a return to the 1970s, when designers bowed to the tastes
of a small circle of affluent women. Designs are overwhelmingly
market-oriented with standard patterns that are safe and
saleable.

The emphasis is on pretty adornment -- all those beads and
sequins -- comes at the expense of any significant change in
style or inspiration.

It may seem at first that ethnic-style designs are doomed to
be curiosity pieces, taken out of the closet for traditional
ceremonies and family gatherings, but otherwise lost in the
smothering embrace of the ball-gown craze.

Prominent ethnic-style designers are mostly over the age of 40
and have a less commercial ethos than some younger designers.

But the fears are likely to be unwarranted.

While globalization leads to uniformity in many aspects of
life, it also engenders a backlash by those, including the young,
tired of monotony.

The young design duo Urban Crew featured faded or "shabby"
batik in a recent show, and designer Ary Saputra innovatively
included woven batik cloth by Baron in his collection. Another
young designer, Dina Midiani, has continued the tradition of
patchwork batik that she began several years ago.

Oscar Lawalata, who has become a media darling for his
androgynous appearance and is one of the most talented young
designers, has long had a fascination with traditional Makassar
woven fabric, even using it with a tie-dye motif.

Ultimately, there does not have to be a winner from the two
styles. Each should develop in its own way, in keeping with
today's democratic atmosphere.

Samuel accentuates the positive. The two camps are dominant
forces but they aren't responsible for stifling creativity, "it
just means that Indonesia may still create its own trends," he
said.

Fashion -- Pages 13, 14