Istante line mixes fluorescent fun with smart chic

By Parvathi Nayar Narayan

JAKARTA (JP): Istante is not, as is often assumed, a second line for the Gianni Versace label but a brand that stands on its own. The other popular misconception is that it is designed by Donatella Versace. Not true, for the clothes that make up the Istante line were created exclusively by Gianni Versace.

The showing of Istante Spring/Summer 1996, as part of the Grand Hyatt Fashion Series, is probably one of the last of the Spring/Summer 1996 Collections to be shown in Jakarta this year. The Versace Fall Collection 1996, after all, has already been unveiled in Paris.

The Istante range is strong on simplicity, minimum fuss and wearability. The clothes are designed for the slightly more mature working woman; the ultra-young ultra-hip market is the exclusive territory of Versace's Versus label, which incidentally is always presented first in New York. However in the Istante collection that was recently on show here, it could be argued that there was some crossover; the clothes had a trendy silhouette-enhancing line to them, "... unlike the straighter lines that are usually part of an Istante collection, " says Sylvie Cecilia, the Advertising Promotion and PR Manager.

The colors dominating the collection are an unusual mix of black, white, a buttery yellow and fluorescent green. The clothes are fashioned from materials with plain and textured finishes, stretchy synthetics, and playful combinations of opaque and sheer fabrics.

The show opened with a selection of slim swinging skirts teamed with tops that celebrate skinniness. Those that sport a figure-hugging look cling like second skin in the collection's trademark punch-in-the-eye green or yellow, or are de rigeur body suits in black or white stretch lace, while others are of thin material complemented by softly rounded collars.

These outfits are all accessorized entirely from the Istante range. Most notable and noticeable were the large baroque sun glasses. Bags, little boxy numbers with a small handle or bigger versions of the same shape, seemed to be designed largely with Japanese tastes in mind.

Prints are mostly restricted to trousers. An overall geometrically arranged print of red flowers on white with an occasional flower in surprising black, is eyecatching, and comes in other color variations. These sassy trousers were teamed with severely plain tops whose only ornamentation is saddle-stitching in a contrasting color.

Many clothes have a cheekily sporty look. T-Shirts and dresses are jazzed up with a bold colorful stripes, a dress in not one but two shades of fluorescent green. Zips are used to interesting effect - as an accent for work clothes peppering up, say, a yellow checked suit right down to zippered wrists; in casuals, for example, down the front and back of a dress and accentuated by contrast piping; even amongst the evening wear there is an eminently wearable black dress with metallic embroidery worked down the sides of the zips.

Other formal wear consists of form-fitting dresses in plain opaques -- black or white -- cut low across the front and back with transparent material in the same color making up the neck. Enlivened by interesting accessories - a broad silver mesh bracelet or tiny square bag slipped over the wrist with a wide leather band - the shorter dress worked better than ones with the longer, somewhat uncertain hemlines.

The Istante collection is not as vast and varied as the Gianni Versace range, and does not for instance have any chinaware (Medusa-inspired or otherwise) or furnishing. Still it does offer a fairly comprehensive selection which includes menswear and accessories, though the show at the Fountain Lounge, Grand Hyatt, showcased only women's apparel. These range in price from Rp 200,000 to over Rp 2 million and are available exclusively at the Istante Boutique in Plaza Indonesia.