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.