Is Bali ready to host int'l events?

Is Bali ready to host int'l events?

By Rita A. Widiadana

NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): The idea to hold Bali Fashion Week
emerged a few years ago, but as Indonesia was badly hit by
economic, social and political upheavals, Mardiana Ika, or just
Ika, had to postpone her plan.

Ika is the woman behind Bali Fashion Week 2000, the first
international fashion trade event in Indonesia, which ended
yesterday.

Having graduated from the London College of Fashion in l977,
Ika then worked at German fashion house L' Estelle for a number
of years before starting her own company, Butoni Ltd, in Hong
Kong.

Since 1985, Ika has been active in a series of international
fashion events in major venues such as Paris, Milan, Dusseldorf,
Singapore and Hong Kong.

She used Hong Kong Fashion Week as a model for her own
organization, Yayasan Moda Bali, the Moda Bali Foundation.

"Hong Kong Fashion Week also started as a very small and
unknown fashion trade mart, but it was handled professionally and
soon had its name on the world fashion map," Ika said.

Ika said she would like to develop Bali Fashion Week in the
same way. "Many people think it a crazy idea, especially since it
was held in time of crisis. But, it is my obsession to put
Indonesian fashion on the world stage," said Ika.

However, Ika wants to emphasize Bali Fashion Week more in
terms of fashion, art and culture, in addition to the normal
trade and export activities.

"Designs and culture as trading tools were the blueprints for
Bali Fashion Week," explained Ika.

She knew the road to success would be rough. Since early last
year, she began approaching her friends in Bali, Jakarta and
other parts of the world to support her idea.

"Some were very responsive; others were cold and unfriendly.
It was common, every beginning is difficult," she asserted.

Pia Alisyahbana, owner of the Femina Group, was her driving
force. "She has opened my mind and given sincere support from the
very beginning," Ika said.

Meanwhile, Pia said it was pity that so much Indonesian talent
was being wasted as there was no forum to showcase their work.

"Yes, we have annual fashion shows to set trends, but we still
don't have an international-scale trade mart to attract
international fashion players to buy Indonesian fashion
products."

Pia remembered meeting Ika at a major fashion show in Hong
Kong nine years ago. Ika was staging one of her major house
shows, called Alpana F/W 92, which was developed in China and
India. In addition, Ika has several other labels: Butoni, Ika,
Iccha, Ikabene and Linea Sanremo. Most are made in Bali, Hong
Kong, Germany and China.

"Why don't you do all this in Indonesia and give work to your
own people?" Pia asked Ika after the show.

Since then, Ika's dream was to return to Indonesia. In l995,
she set up her business in Kuta and established Yayasan Moda
Bali.

"To start a business in Bali was inspiring, but to start
thinking about holding a fashion trade mart was another problem,"
recalled Ika.

Ita Munaf from the Jakarta Tourism Promotion Board (Jakprom)
continued to back the idea to organize Bali Fashion Week.

"I've know her for a long time and her idea was artistically
viable but technically difficult," Ita said.

To attract foreign buyers to an event in Indonesia would be
very hard because of image and security problems.

"Indonesia is suffering from a very serious image problem in
the international world and it would not be easy to convince
people to come to Indonesia," said Ita, an expert in convention
and tourism promotion.

She said Indonesia is considered a troubled country which
should be avoided by investors and tourists.

Despite the crisis, Bali still retains its attractiveness as
one of the world's top tourist destinations.

"To hold such an international event in Jakarta is too risky.

Only a few potential buyers would dare travel to Jakarta," Ita
said.

Ita believes that, at present, it is wise to organize big
events in Bali.

Rocky, managing director of Panorama Convex convention
organizer, agreed that Bali is the most appropriate place to hold
an international event.

"For the time being, we cannot sell Jakarta as a business or
tourist center," Rocky said.

Rocky said all fashion players, business parties and
convention organizers, must support an event such as Bali Fashion
Week.

"The problem is whether Bali is ready to accommodate large-
scale events -- in terms of facilities, human resources and
infrastructure," said Rocky.