Fashion shows, American food and the 4th of July

By Danielle Bray

JAKARTA (JP): The Star Spangled Banner it was not, however on July 4th, the Hyatt Aryaduta in Central Jakarta hosted the "All American Dream Party" to coincide with American Independence Day.

The marketing was a bit misleading, though, and the lack of red, white and blue was conspicuous. It appeared that most observers in the crowd had stumbled upon the event, forgetting completely about the specified celebration.

Apart from the lack of decorations and American motifs, the evening featured a buffet which served up some real American classics; such as turkey, roast beef, baked beans, and apple pie. Live entertainment and a fashion show featuring designs by three local designers -- Erwan Hadi of Diva, Amin Brutus of Brutus, and Hendra of Lt. 2 -- were also there. The final collection of the evening featured Italian designs by Gianni Versace's Versus.

The first show by Diva and Brutus took place at the Lobby Bar and JP Bistro. The models, elegantly clad in their gowns and suits, whisked and twirled their way through the maze of chairs and tables. Diva's designs featured an expressive mixture of Indonesian culture and western ideals.

"I want to keep the Indonesian culture a part of my designs by modifying the kebaya (traditional Indonesian dress) and adding sequins, embroidery, and sheer flirtatious wraps," Diva said.

He managed to maintain the elegance of the artistic Indonesian way of life while combining a sense of modernity. A true master of expression.

Brutus designed a very western collection of dark evening wear for gentlemen. He daringly extended the length of the traditional suit jacket, to just above the knee, showcasing an array of tailored, debonair male models. He included hints of silver on the vests and scarf ties, producing a futuristic appeal.

"I want to adopt a smart, diverse look for the new millennium," he said. He achieved this goal and his collection was a superb and bold approach to evening wear for men.

The theme of American Independence Day, however, was sadly lost amongst all the glitz and glamour of the show. There were two American businessmen in the crowd, who stated they were visiting Jakarta and were looking for an event to celebrate their patriotic holiday.

"We expected more of a focus on Independence Day. We came from another hotel thinking that this would be a better celebration," one of them said, expressing his disappointment at the lack of attention to the special occasion.

The designers each had their own ideas as to why they decided to host their shows on the 4th of July. Amin Brutus stated that he "wanted to show his designs to the American people" -- perhaps in the hope of introducing his line amongst American society. Sadly, the only two Americans that were present weren't there to buy.

Erwan Hadi hoped that "showing his collection on Independence Day would promote Indonesian fashion to the American public". He explained that his modified Indonesian dress would "thrust local skill and art into the limelight, creating awareness of the fashion industry".

After the first two shows, there was a break as the crowd indulged in a piping hot buffet of American goodies.

While most of the patrons enjoyed the American classics, the third designer, Hendra, took to the stage.

The Lt. 2 (Lantai Dua) designs featured the most "American" influence of the three. There were animal prints, mirrored fabric, backless tops and daring ensembles. There was an obvious lack of local tradition here.

The men were clad in matching long shorts and tops in pastel striped fabric, and open shirts that bared their chests. Black and white eye material was sewn into dresses. There were tank tops for men and barely-there shirts for women. It was a very funky collection that offered a variation to the norm and complimented the other designers nicely.

By 9:45 p.m. the announcer approached the stage. The last show was ready to begin. One by one the models seductively glided through the bar donned in the Versus summer collection. The designs were colorful, bright, hyper and sexy. The models kept to the theme of the collection, and worked the audience with their heavily made-up eyes and their barely-there outfits. It was a lively, impressive show of both glamour and fun.