Four top designers display wedding gowns
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
What happens if four renowned Asian designers stage a joint fashion show? Serious glamour, that's what.
Some of Hong Kong and Indonesia's top threads went on show on Wednesday at the Mulia Hotel's Grand Ballroom when Hong Kong designer Barney Cheng and three Indonesians, Sebastian Gunawan, Didi Budiardjo and Adrian Gan, displayed their evening and wedding gowns at the Designer Party 2005.
Cheng is an acclaimed designer who has dressed royalty; Princess Alexandra of Denmark; and stars like Michelle Yeoh, Maggie Cheung, Gong Li, Sandra Bernhard and Liza Minelli.
Sebastian, Didi and Adrian, meanwhile, are among the most popular fashion designers here.
While the show was mostly about classy evening wear, it took place in the afternoon.
Sebastian, the first designer to be shown on the 15-meter catwalk, featured black and white wedding gowns with few ornaments. The models wore small sparkling tiaras.
Sebastian's evening gowns were also in black and white, designed with simplicity in mind.
The catwalk encircled the guests' tables, allowing them to get a close look at the gowns.
Adrian's work was next. With a Mexican theme, models presented mostly earthy colored gowns, making full use of feathers, folds and luminous spheres.
A model in a white gown designed by Adrian captivated the audience with her cap, decorated with a six-meter long cape that flowed behind her.
Didi showed white gowns with impressive folds, a red Chinese- inspired outfit, and light-colored gowns combined with feathers.
The guest designer, Cheng, meanwhile, opened his show with classicly simple evening wear. He combined light-green shades with incandescent accessories.
Time flies when you're having fun the show was as over as quickly as it had begun.
While many in the audience were busy deciding which designs would best suit them, the master of ceremonies called the show's guest entertainer, American R&B singer Peabo Bryson, on stage. Bryson performed a full show at the same venue later that evening.
The two-time Grammy Award winner sang three songs to conclude the Designer Party 2005; the first By the Time this Night is Over then If Ever You're in My Arms Again and Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You.
The event was well-organized and the visitors were made to feel special from beginning to end. Greeted with a fruit juice and snacks upon their arrival, they could also enjoy a live performance of a traditional stringed instrument, the kecapi.
The lobby was lavishly decorated with red lanterns while the walls were covered in red cloth. Exquisite floral arrangements by Blossoms, the Mulia Hotel florist, adorned both the lobby and ballroom.