How designer Ramli copes with the devastating crisis
By Agni Amorita
JAKARTA (JP): Ramli is extremely worried about some of his fellow fashion designers who are straining under the weight of the crippling economic crisis.
The 48-year-old, who has been in the business for 23 years, cannot stop wondering why many designers are helpless when a lot of opportunities are there for the taking.
"Middle-class Indonesians can no longer afford to buy brand names due to the rupiah's sharp depreciation against the U.S. dollar. I want designers to survive the crisis by any means possible, such as increasing the local material in their products by up to 80 percent," he says.
Last week, Ramli invited 22 of his friends, fellow designers and fashion workers, including bridal suite decorators, for a joint five-day exhibition at Hotel Mulia, Jakarta. The event was a success.
The number of co-organizers, 23, (22 invitees plus himself) was a plaudit to the 23 years he has dedicated to the profession.
"I also meant the event to be a celebration of my 23-year career in fashion design," he says.
Born on Nov. 1, 1950, Ramli started his career in 1974. With the help of his mother, he started to experiment. One year later Ramli, the youngest of a Betawi (indigenous Jakarta) family, ventured out and held his first fashion show at a prestigious venue, the Petroleum Club. The first presentation of his collection, called "Embroidery Night", consisted of ready-to-wear clothing that was exclusively embroidered. The positive response to his work greatly encouraged him to specialize in embroidery up to this day. His trademark has won him recognition as the "Indonesian King of Embroidery".
His embroidery collection of dresses, shirts and coats are popular among the upper echelon. The majority of his clients are rich women, including the wives of high-ranking officials who wish to appear stylish with typical and contemporary Indonesian dresses abroad. He has not been affected by the constant changes in the fashion world.
He has held annual fashion shows since his 1974 debut.
"This year's show will be around October," said the unmarried man who can afford to hold extravagant exhibitions in star-rated hotels even in this time of crisis.
His frequent overseas shows have become an effective marketing strategy. He has almost always taken part in fashion shows in major international cities both for exhibition or social evening events to promote Indonesian culture and tourism.
He models his embroidery on the traditional embroidery still practiced in Tasikmalaya in West Java, Kudus in Central Java, Banda Aceh in Aceh, Padang in West Sumatra, Palembang in South Sumatra, and Jambi.
The elegant characteristics of his embroidered outfits, including first-class cutting and superior-quality textiles, have made his products highly sought after for weddings, major celebrations like Lebaran and state ceremonies.
When his work was copied by major businesses, Ramli was not discouraged. He has been experimenting and seeking a breakthrough. Recently he created new a motive, a combination of batik and embroidery. He "modernizes" antique batik by adding embroidery and produces trendy dresses. The technique makes the dress fabric slightly thick but it gives a dramatic impression.
Ramli, winner of Indonesian fashion editors' award for the 1987 to 1988 best-selling ready-to-wear apparel, sells his creations for hundreds of thousands of rupiah a piece.
A complete outfit could cost several million rupiah. Such outfits are very much in demand. Last month, he appeared with 800 pieces of his 1998 collection called Pastel Inspiration in a trade exhibition in Singapore.
"One local man came to the exhibition every day," said Ramli.
"On the last day he bought up all the clothes and asked if we could possibly cooperate. He asked me to return to Singapore because he felt he had found something in my creations that suited the tastes of some of Singapore's adult community. He said my creations were not the style that is in vogue, such as on display in Singaporean shopping centers and wanted by the younger generation."
Ramli sold more than 500 outfits at his Singapore exhibition.
Although Ramli has proven he can withstand the economic crisis, he cannot hide his anxiety about the situation.
"We (designers) are not involved in politics but we are worried about more riots, which are not only frightening but also stall business. When we want to go out, we are worried something bad might happen to our car, which we bought after years of toil. Let alone making a business deal. If our business goes up in flames, what would happen to our employees, workers in the regions? They will fall victims."
While still hoping that the economic calamity will end soon, Ramli has opened a street cafe in front of his large boutique on Jl. Semarang in the posh Menteng area, Central Jakarta. Every evening you can see him sitting on an antique carved chair at one of the tables covered with a white cloth bearing his famous embroidery.
People, mostly Jakarta's wealthy, go there after 8 p.m. to enjoy typical Indonesian tidbits like kue serabi (rice-flour pancake with coconut milk plus brown sugar sauce), banana fritters, hot sekoteng (ginger-flavored drink). Prices average Rp 10,000 a dish, the average price at trendy celebrity street cafes.