Indonesian-born Farah shows he style in Paris
Kunang Helmi-Picard, Contributor, Paris
While some of the international fashion cognoscenti were mourning the demise of Yves Saint Laurent haute couture, new and younger talents from abroad showed in Paris.
In late January, during the presentation of the coming Spring/Summer haute couture season, at least 26 fashion designers were included on the official calendar and the "off-shows" that accompanied them.
Medan-born Farah Angsana blithely ignored Saint Laurent's statement that the last haute couture designer of the last haute couture house is now retiring. The spirited fashion designer was accepted by the all-powerful French Syndicate of Couture Designers as an associate member, becoming the first Indonesian to present at the Paris shows.
Her exotic, Indonesian-flavored first haute couture collection was shown to buyers, fashion journalists and others on posh Avenue Georges V in Paris.
The audience admired the 45 thoroughly feminine styles worn by the young models.
"As I am myself young, I want to create sensual clothes for younger clients who enjoy being seductive and romantic!" the 30 year old said.
Regal ball-gowns, sexy lace cocktail dresses, elegant pantsuits, feminine pleats and provocative hot pants with transparent blouses are all part of her range.
She was inspired for the collection by the Javanese legend of Nyi Loro Kidul, the Queen of the South Seas, as well as by Balinese dancers. Interpretations of lacy kebaya (traditional blouses), rich embroidery and multishaped sequins also reflected the most feminine of Indonesian traditional costumes.
Colors ranged from white, said to represent the alluring siren that lurks in the soul of every woman, through pale blue, pink, yellow, sharp green and then steely gray, warm copper and black.
Farah also designed the elegant mules and high-heeled slippers that accompanied the collection in slightly darker hues than the garments. Here she cooperated with Henry Achkoyan, a Parisian shoe manufacturer. Next season she intends to bring out a winter collection of shoe-wear for sale.
Farah took a long road to Paris. She left Medan when she was very young with her parents and her three older sisters for Singapore. They later moved to Los Angeles and, at the age of 16 and determined to study fashion, she moved alone to London. Here she studied at the Central School of Fashion.
"I preferred this school because it taught us the technical aspects of fashion, that is the practical side, and not only how to promote creativity and draw! How to choose materials, make patterns and actually construct the garments."
She spent 12 years there and plunged straight into the ready- to-wear business after graduating in 1993. She worked for a short stint for Vivienne Westwood and created styles for a charity show in London. Then she moved her ready-to-wear business to Milan, Italy, where she still has a showroom. Somewhere along the line, she met her Swiss husband who is a financier.
"Although we are complete opposites, in character and in our professions, we are now very happy together!"
However, moving to Zurich proved to be difficult for the fashion side and her clients, so she decided to move back to London during the week. She left after two years for Paris because it seemed to be the most logical location from the point of view of creation, buyers and clients. Here she now has 15 people working with her, and commutes between Zurich and Paris, but said, "my heart is always Indonesian".
Her clients come from Saudia Arabia, America, Japan and Singapore, with a sprinkling of Europeans. With her four lines of fashion, she has a diversified approach, but has decided to stop her men's wear for the time being.
She is refreshingly down to earth about the fashion world, about the magazine spreads and celebrities wearing her designs.
"But, you must understand that is only the glamourous side of the fashion business, the rest is really hard work -- the fashion world is relentless."