Jakarta, a shopping paradise for all

Jakarta, a shopping paradise for all

T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor/Jakarta

During the weekend, when most offices are closed, shopping
malls become exceedingly crowded. Thousands of people -- adults
and children, men and women -- pack the malls while many others
are turned away because the parking is full.

And now that the Christmas and New Year holidays are drawing
near, people are doing even more shopping than usual. People are
shopping not only because they want new clothes, shoes and
accessories for holiday parties, but also because of the big
discounts being offered.

In celebration of the holiday season, shopping malls are
organizing various events, including games and concerts to
enhance the cheerful atmosphere. Some malls have put up giant
Christmas trees with colorful decorations.

Mal Kelapa Gading, for example, is ready to welcome the
holiday season with a series of programs, including the Disney
Enchanting Christmas, a magic show and a concert featuring
Shanty, Project Pop and MTV DJ Nirina.

On New Year's Eve, singers Glen Fredly and Helena, as well as
North, a boy-band from Australia, will entertain shoppers. New
Year's Eve will also see the grand launching of Lapiazza, which
combines the lifestyle concepts of EX Entertainment Center and
Cilandak Town Square.

Retailers have their own way of attracting visitors, offering
big year-end sales. Some stores are offering discounts of up to
70 percent for certain items. No wonder people are making the
best of this opportunity and filling their shopping bags with all
kinds of items.

Jakarta is indeed a shopping paradise, with many exclusive
boutiques in upscale shopping malls like Plaza Indonesia in
Central Jakarta, Plaza Senayan in South Jakarta, Mal Taman
Anggrek in West Jakarta, Mal Kelapa Gading in East Jakarta, Mal
Pondok Indah in South Jakarta and Pasaraya Grande in South
Jakarta. The creations of top local and overseas designers are on
offer at these boutiques.

There is no need to go abroad to purchase fashionable products
from international brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Christian
Dior, Hugo Boss, Prada, Miu Miu, Lolita Lempicka and Sisley.

Most of these brands have been available in the city for
years, while others are more recently arrived, like Lolita
Lempicka from France and Sisley from Italy, which this year
opened boutiques in Plaza Indonesia and Plaza Senayan,
respectively.

Lolita Lempicka chose Jakarta for its first boutique in Asia
because the city has a large population with strong purchasing
power.

"Fashion consumers in Indonesia are among the most stylish in
the region and they seek perfection in their style. Indonesia's
fashion enthusiasts are ready and have grown to accept
international fashion. The potential market for fashion products
in Indonesia is very significant," said Hoedani Hadijono, the
marketing and communications manager of ClubConcepts, the brand
license holder of the Lolita Lempicka fashion label for the Asia
Pacific.

A lot of people here, women and men alike, give serious
consideration to their clothes. They pay attention to style,
color, cut, material -- and also the brand. They will not
hesitate to splash down up to millions of rupiah for an item of
clothing or a pair of shoes.

More and more boutiques are opening in Jakarta as people
become increasingly fashion conscious.

"Jakarta, with its fashionable, cosmopolitan residents, has
become a fashion center. People do not need to go abroad to shop
as there is a great variety of products on offer," said Cut
Meutia, the public relations manager for Mal Kelapa Gading.

The mall first opened in 1990. Five years later it opened a
second mall and just two years ago a third one began to operate
-- all are located in the same area.

It has a 2,000-square-meter space called The Catwalk, where
some 30 top local designers like Musa Widyatmodjo, Biyan, Ghea
Panggabean and Anne Avantie have opened boutiques.

The products of local designers are also available in other
major shopping malls. Most top local designers display their
goods at counters in Pasaraya Grande, Sogo Department Store and
Metro Department Store.

"The works of local designers are quite good," said Maggie, a
woman in her 20s who was browsing through the clothes of a local
designer at Mal Taman Anggrek.

"I like this one. It is pretty and the price is reasonable,"
she pointed to an evening dress made of chiffon and satin silk
adorned with beads that cost more than Rp 1 million.

The young woman, an accountant, studied and worked in
Australia for seven years before returning to Indonesia last
month.

Maggie said local designers were quite creative. She said the
clothes were a bit more complicated than the average Australian
products and very beautiful, especially with daring colors like
orange, pink, red and green.

Whether they are from local or foreign designers, everything
is available here in a great variety of styles and prices. The
choice is yours.