Glamorous Escada goes couture, and so does its prices
JAKARTA (JP): Glamor and elegance was the theme of the Escada Couture Fall/Winter 1996/1997 collection fashion show tour here last Friday.
Jackets matched with simple little dresses, skirts or trousers were offered in a wide selection of luxurious colors, styles and materials. Cocktail dresses of many cuts -- short, long, sculpted bell-shaped, were all designed to suit glamorous evening events. Even ball gowns were on offer.
According to Claudia Schild-Reuter, Escada's overseas director for Asia and the Middle East, the research done before they came up with Escada Couture -- the new extension of Escada's fashion line -- shows that the demand for this kind of clothing, cocktail and evening wear, has increased in the past couple of years.
"In the 1980s, it was a bit out of fashion to dress up, but now it is definitely coming back," she said.
Apart from color and fabric selection, details on designs are still the charm of Escada creations. Little bows on jacket cuffs, diamond-like buttons, beads or embroidery are eye-catching details that do not complicate the simplicity of the designs.
The couture collection keeps the combination of colors simple. Purple, blue, white and black are still in favor, but pink, red and even brownish gold selections are also available. Most designs are in one color with little adornments of either silver or gold.
Accents are stressed through fabric mixes. A black velvet dress with stretched lace and boa feather on the cuffs, a white silk-satin pirate blouse combined with black sweeping pants, or a maroon skirt with matching jacket that has black velvet details on the collar -- all are very stunning and elegant.
Out of 173 outfits that were brought out from Germany, 42 pieces were presented by six models at Kalimantan-Maluku Room of the Shangri-la Hotel. Since all outfits were originals in this Fall/Winter collection, they will be taken back to Germany after the tour is completed.
Although this collection will be on the market in August, not all of the designs will be offered in Indonesia. Sonia Rasad, the operation manager of Escada Indonesia, said that only 10 percent to 20 percent of the collection shown will be sold here.
Considering not all the outfits will be suitable to wear in Indonesia, the pieces that will be offered are mostly three-piece outfits and simple dresses, according to Rasad.
With prices ranging between Rp 400,000 and Rp 14 million (US$170 and $5,957), Escada Couture is limited to the upper classes. Most of the guests at the show agreed that they were looking for quality in the designs.
Schild-Reuter, however, is very optimistic about the show and the expansion of Escada Couture to Asia, Indonesia specifically. Other than the fact that there are more formal events going on which require formal wear, she believes that after 12 years in Asia, Escada has managed to successfully penetrate the right market.
With the upper class, and working women as the target, Escada has its own market and stands strong among its competitors, according to Schild-Reuter.
The show was part of the Escada Couture Asian Tour that covered six countries -- South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia.
-- Thalia Kamarga