JP/9/dean

A short cut to Paris

Everyone making their career in the fashion world wants to carve out a place for himself or herself in Paris, one of the world's great fashion capitals. Unfortunately, the roads to Paris are few and far between for young designers.

Syahmedi Dean Contributor/Jakarta

Many people involved in the fashion business in Indonesia have gone out of their way to secure a place in the international fashion arena, such as taking part in international fashion week, joining government-sponsored trade tours or even engaging in the small-scale export trade. Although these efforts, as a whole, rarely produce tangible results, some small endeavors, such as sending fashion students to an international fashion competition in Paris, have produced quite good results for the local fashion industry, particularly with as regards beginners.

Called the Concours International des Jeunes Createurs de Mode (CIDJCDM), this prestigious competition was held for the first time in 1991. That year, only five fashion schools in Jakarta sent students to participate. Fourteen years later, however, this competition, which is specially designed for fashion school students, was participated in by 16 fashion schools from Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta and Surabaya.

"In terms of quality, the creativity of the participants this year was similar to last year. Interesting, however, is the fact that our endeavor to stimulate youngsters to join the local fashion industry has led to the emergence of many different fashion schools. Many of these schools have taken part in this particular competition," said M.N. Retno Murti, general chairman of the organizing committee of the competition and editor-in- chief of Dewi, a woman's magazine, who has been in charge of the CIDJCDM organization in Indonesia from the very beginning. "One fashion school has even informed me that they are planning to open a new department to prepare students for this competition."

Nevertheless, this does not in any way mean that every participant can win a prize by simply relying on his or her own creativity. Abineri Ang, a designer and one of the judges, said, "Many participants have fallen into the trap created by their own creativity. Their creations look like carnival costumes and fails to impress people as beautiful and well-constructed works. However, I've confidence in Eva Puspitasari of Bandung's STISI and Jeffrey of Jakarta's ESMOD." Abineri Ang took part in CIDJCDM in 1996. He won the top prize, the Grand Prix, and a one-year scholarship at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.

The Indonesian round of CIDJCDM this year was held in the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel in Jakarta in late September. The competition produced 35 finalists in the fashion category and 15 finalists in the accessories category. Each participant had to present a creation they had designed that conformed to this year's theme of "Art, Fashion & Industry". Aged under 25 on average, the participants' youthfulness was reflected in their explosive designs, which were clearly the fruit of limitless imaginations. Why not! There was a skirt made of an umbrella and a dress designed like the cocoon of a silkworm. There was also the hose of a vacuum cleaner used as an element in a dress and a piece made of hundreds of meters of computer cables.

Finally, the judges named 10 winners in the fashion category and five winners in the accessories category. Aside from Abineri Ang, the panel of judges this year was made up of Pia Alisjahbana, Sebastian Gunawan, Carmanita, Taruna Kusmayadi, Rolla Yogishwara, Rinaldy and Firman Ichsan. Selected works of the participants will be sent to Paris in December this year to take part in the international competition.