Fashion sense for the young and trendy
Fashion sense for the young and trendy
=================================
Hera Diani and Monique Natalia
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
---------------------------------
"I'm going, Mom!" Felisya, 16, said to her mother as she left for
a cafe to meet her friends.
Outside, after making sure that her mom was not looking, the
student at a senior high school in South Jakarta quickly opened
her cardigan as she got into her friend's car.
Beneath the cardigan, Felisya was wearing a tight tank top
which revealed a bit of midriff and back, plus hipster pants,
also tight. For accent, she put on a huge belt.
"My mom would kill me if she saw me wearing something
revealing like this," she said, laughing.
"Well, what's wrong with this? I mean, everyone my age wears
this stuff all the time. I want to follow the trends, too!"
All of Felisya's friends were wearing a similar style. The
boys were no less fashionable, with their hair dyed and in tight
shirts.
Over time, teen fashion has become an important market for the
fashion industry. In the past decade, however, teen fashion, here
and around the world, went into overdrive to lead the direction
of the industry. Teenagers have also become more confident in
expressing their style.
Fashion consultant Muara Bagdja said teen fashion is the style
of clothing worn by teenagers, incorporating mall and club
fashions, but what matters most is the rapid transformation of
lifestyles and its influence on style.
"Today people, especially women, are going out more," Muara
said. "They like to go to parties, clubs and malls. For teenagers
who still have to wear uniforms in school, this is the time when
they can express themselves through what they wear.
"The kind of lifestyles that teenagers lead define what they
wear."
As a result, many designers now recognize teenagers as an
essential market and are creating lines for them.
The most popular designer nowadays is 24-year-old Oscar
Lawalata, whose designs reflect a young, dynamic spirit.
And then there is designer Biyan Wanaatmadja, who is famous
for his ultra-feminine clothes but who has established a line for
youth called (X) SML.
Teen boutiques have flourished, especially in the South
Jakarta area. You only have to take a stroll along Jl. Radio
Dalam or Jl. Panglima Polim to spot them.
One boutique that is highly popular among young people, and
also celebrities, is Absolut on Jl. Mendawai, South Jakarta.
Established in 1997, when the monetary crisis first hit the
country, the boutique is still among the top places to shop for
clothes and accessories for the young and trendy.
"The business used to be more profitable. But, now, we have so
many competitors," said Fransisca "Sisca" Hartono, the boutique's
public relations manager.
To be able to compete, Absolut sticks to its concept of
importing fashionable clothes from Hong Kong, Paris and the
United States. Prices range from Rp 100,000 (US$9.50) to Rp 6
million (about $570).
"Our loyal customers are upset if we sell local goods. They
want something unique that can't be found in other stores."
She added that the shop wanted to become a trendsetter. Since
young people are quick in following the trends, they try to keep
ahead by changing the cycle of their products once every two
months.
"We started out as a shop for teenagers. But, these days, most
of our customers are 20 years old and above, I don't know why,"
she said.
"We're also curious why there are very few men who shop here.
We have a boutique in Bandung called Tomodachi, and it has many
men customers. But there are only few who come here. I wonder
where Jakarta's young men shop?"
Several teenage men questioned by The Jakarta Post said they
prefer to shop in the mall.
In defining fashion style, there is no doubt that television
and also magazines play a significant role in influencing
teenagers.
Felisya, for example, said she looks to pop stars from MTV
like Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
Of course, sometimes things get a little out of hand. Take
singer Nafa Urbach, for example. From a melancholic singer, she
has suddenly transformed into a Britney wanna-be, with bare
midriff and plunging cleavage, for her latest video.
People don't remember the song so much as her leather pants.
In her case, a quote from a magazine is probably appropriate:
"There's no such thing as fashion victim. Only people with bad
taste."