JP/18/top
JP/18/top
Indonesia's top five fashion designers
An increasing number of new designers have emerged in Indonesia.
Five of them have enjoyed considerable media coverage this year.
Syahmedi Dean
Contributor/Jakarta
Despite the rapid development of international fashion in
Indonesia throughout 2005, five Indonesian designers have
successfully displayed consistency and continuity in their
creations. These designers have created a fashion look that is
both clear and capable of interacting with international trends.
The quality of their designs is improving while businesswise they
continue to develop. Most important of all is the fact that their
fantasies are allowed full rein while at the same time their
personal style is retained. Throughout this year, they have
appeared in national fashion and lifestyle magazines, and their
works have been featured on many magazine covers and fashion
pages. In short, they have become the darlings of fashion
editors.
Biyan
His name is now an icon for Indonesian fashion. He is noted
for his complicated but very neat creations. His designs are
graceful and polite. His main advantage is that he can pile on
the beads onto tissue-paper-thin chiffon. He is also fond of
cutting velvet using a biased cut technique. Aside from using his
own name as a brand, Biyan also has another line, XSML. Lately,
the XSML brand has become a topic of discussion as it displays a
more youthful character that is full of ardor. It seems Biyan is
more interested in the XSML brand than the Biyan brand owing to
the greater popularity of the former.
Deden Siswanto
Deden began his fashion career in Bandung and has been in the
national fashion world less than five years. Within this brief
period of time, however, he has become a topic of hot discussion
among fashionistas. From the very beginning, his designs draw on
folklore, which he has developed into many style directions, such
as the urban, extra Bohemian, androgynous, and Victorian, or
ladylike, styles, and only he knows what will be next. He is fond
of manipulating ornamentation, which he places very tactically on
his dresses. He is also bold enough to contrast motifs in an
unexpected way, a symbol of his freedom of expression in fashion
design.
Denny Wirawan
From the start of his career, Denny has shown a passion for
processing and creating motifs to be printed on the fabric. Every
time he launches his annual collection, he astounds us with his
new motifs. This strategy has rendered his designs highly
exclusive and gives the impression that no one else is capable of
doing what he does. He applies these motifs to various fabrics:
chiffon, denim, raw silk, cotton, leather and so forth. Denny has
declared that starting this year, the print technique will be his
signature. His boldness in manipulating motifs is balanced by
designs that always lay the emphasis on a strong ready-to-wear
element.
Didi Budiardjo
A highly conceptual designer, Didi is very fond of tinkering
with volume in his creations. As a result, his designs always
appear dramatic. He likes blending a rigid silhouette with subtle
elements. His designs are super feminine and graceful. Every
element and every detail of his designs carry their own weight
and complement each other. Didi also designs for House of Prajudi
and through this label he has amply demonstrated his own charm.
He combines futuristic concepts with the demands made by House
Prajudi that the designs display a strong Indonesian ethnic
element.
Sebastian Gunawan
He is the real star of the Indonesian fashion world today. His
designs are varied, ranging from simple decorative designs to
the grand and dramatic. As he spent a long time studying at
fashion school in Italy, Sebastian's works also display a
sexiness reminiscent of Italian women. His evening wear is very
popular. However, partnered by his wife, Christina, he also
produces designs using the Votum label, through which he caters
for the ready-to-wear market. Besides being a designer, Sebastian
also often serves as a juror for prestigious fashion competitions
in Indonesia.