Fashion Week to showcase top local designers

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Jimbaran, Bali

The fourth Bali Fashion Week from Oct. 13 through Oct. 15 will again feature creations by the country's most prominent fashion designers.

The annual fashion extravaganza, which was first staged in 2000, is expected to bring together hundreds of local designers and textile and garment producers. Organizers hope the event will attract buyers from all over the world.

The event's initiator, Bali-based designer Mardiana Ika, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday before leaving for Paris that she had finally gained the trust of designers, producers, buyers and, more importantly, the Indonesian government.

"I am very happy and enthusiastic that after four years of hard work, every party involved in previous Bali Fashion Weeks will benefit from this event," Ika said.

During last year's event, about 300 buyers from Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Korea as well as from Australia, the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa closed deals.

"The Bali Fashion Week 2002 proceeded with flying colors and exhibitors and buyers were satisfied with the many orders placed," Ika said.

The Bali Fashion Week has been firmly established as the only fashion show to be covered by prestigious fashion media including Fashion TV and numerous glossy fashion magazines.

"I am leaving for Paris to promote Bali Fashion Weeks to foreign media and prospective buyers in France and neighboring countries," Ika said.

Exhibitors from all over Indonesia will present their Spring/Summer 2004 fashion items including garments, textiles (mostly traditional, such as batik, ikat and sarongs). They will also present other fashion-related merchandise such as silver and gold jewelry, leather products such as shoes and handbags.

Since the government is lending a hand to help the organizer, Ika said the event was more secure than in previous years.

"When I met Minister of Trade and Industry Rini Soewandi, she said the event had the potential to attract the international business community to Bali and other places in Indonesia," Ika said.

Currently, the Bali Fashion Week is fully supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the National Agency for Export Development, textiles and garments associations and the designers association.

It is also supported by the hotel and restaurant industry in Bali and other cities in Indonesia.

Keke Hidayat, public relations director for the Bali Intercontinental Hotel, said the Bali Fashion Week deserved strong support.

"We are providing a venue for the three-day event," Keke said.

Ika said she hoped the Bali Fashion Week would help the international community realize that Bali is still doing very well in terms of business and leisure.