Gypsy queens: Sebastian takes a cruise to fashion hot spots
Sherry Samtani, Contributor, Jakarta
Last Thursday, the creme de la creme of society was out and about at Hotel Mulia Senayan in Central Jakarta for a firsthand look at local fashion at its best.
Behind all the hype was Sebastian Gunawan, dubbed the best designer of 2003 by Indonesian Tatler society magazine and simply accorded the title "king of fashion" by many other publications.
Except, in his case, there is much substance to all that style.
A former student of the Susan Budiarjo Institute of Mode, Sebastian is also a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles and the Instituto Marangoni in Milan.
With all that education and a decade's worth of experience this side of the world, it's no wonder he is Indonesian fashion's very own wonder boy, revered for glitzy ensembles that epitomize glamor and elegance in his first line Sebastian made to order collection.
Working together with his Italian-born wife Cristina Panerese, Sebastian's "Red Label" pret-a-porter collection aims to deliver a dose of that very same glamour in less formal and more affordable apparel.
The dream duo struck gold once again with the 2004/2005 line, themed "A Cruise to Chic". Consisting of 86 designs that were "floaty, chic, fun and beautiful" for the fashionista who love travel as much as designer wear, the collection drew inspiration from the hottest hot spots across the globe.
From serene sun-baked Mediterranean coasts to romantic Venice, from the romance of the City of Lights to the intriguing Forbidden City, right to today's hip and happening Florida, the clothes were eclectic, rejuvenating and, despite the differing themes, surprisingly coherent.
The ballroom itself had very little decoration, nor were there any opening singers to get things rolling. Sebastian's clothes spoke for themselves. To the backdrop of five large screens, displaying still shots of the different places, models sashayed down the runway in the omnipresent accessory of a head scarf tied turban style.
It was old school fashion from the 1960s, with body skimming designs, with cut out backs and cascading satin. Seba -- as his peers know him -- wanted to create a collection with more "flow", a departure from his heavily beaded work of previous years.
Fusing satin, jacquard, chiffon, lace and tweed, Seba combined rough textures with light fabrics to create paradoxical ensembles -- think a loose caftan in shades of pink, over a pair of high waisted, figure-hugging pants. The high-waist was a recurring theme, with pants that tapered down to the ankle and pencil skirts.
The return of the caplet or shrug was clearly established. Short or long sleeved, with ruffles or beadwork, in brights and neutrals, they were everywhere, adding extra oomph to halter dresses and fitted tops. Shrugs were not the only cover-ups, though, with capes, ponchos and fur all propelling the gypsy-like tone of the evening.
Lace, Seba's favorite, also made an appearances. In the past, he has mentioned his preference for the versatile material, finding it "more feminine ... It can also be sexy, romantic, a little mysterious or even a little naughty. It depends on the creativity of the wearer".
True to his word, this versatility was used in sexy, slip dresses, loose, flowing capes and even feminine, full skirts.
All shades of purple were displayed in dark hues, mauves, lilacs and magentas. Color play was indeed the most delectable ingredient of this extravaganza, with blocks of lime green against dusty pink in baby doll dresses and the opulence of gold beadwork against black robes.
Well-known for his meticulous and sophisticated cutting, dresses had either cut out backs or cuts below the chest, and often both. Crystals, beadwork, corsages, ruffles, frills, layers, geometric cuts and varied hemlines -- the little details in each outfit gave them individuality.
Accessories were elaborate and in tune with the theme. Larger totes, thatched mostly, in bright colors were a favorite. For feet, wooden sandals with added on flowers gave a Mediterranean twist while crystal balls were on earrings, bags and jewelry.
As expected, the ending of this spectacle was greeted with rounds of applause from the 2,000 spectators, confirmation of Sebastian's status as a creative and versatile label. Sebastian and Cristina have done it again; now we eagerly await what improvisations they come up with next year.