Gypsy queens: Sebastian takes a cruise to fashion hot spots

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.