Mardiana Ika, a driving force behind Bali's fashion world
Mardiana Ika, a driving force behind Bali's fashion world
KUTA, Bali (JP): One afternoon in late April in a tranquil
cafe on a corner of the busy Kuta street, Mardiana Ika, or Ika,
sipped her hot lemon tea and explained her next big project, the
Second Bali International Fashion Week, currently taking place at
the Grand Bali Beach Hotel & Resort.
Enthusiastically, this tiny and active woman dressed in her
latest fashion creation and silver jewelry displayed portfolios
of designers, models and companies who would participate in the
event.
"I hope every Indonesian designer, garment producer and
everyone related to the fashion industry can take part in this
international-scale fashion event," she said brightly.
The fashion week, the second of its kind (the first one was
held in July 2000), is expected to yield numerous lucrative
business transactions between foreign buyers and local fashion
producers.
"The Bali Tourism Board (BTB), the provincial government and
the Bali Chamber of Commerce have all agreed to lend a hand and
to fully support the Bali Fashion Week as an annual event of the
island," Ika said, joyfully adding that she would meet with some
important people from BTB later that night.
A number of famous designers, local and international fashion
writers and journalist have also confirmed their participation.
Everything seemed to be going well. Then a few days ago, Ika
called the Jakarta Post. "I don't think BTB has seriously
supported us," she complained.
As usual, she was ready with Plan B. "It doesn't necessarily
mean that I have to postpone the Bali Fashion Week," she
insisted.
What it meant was that she had to do the work by herself,
which is more in her character. "I have to pay for the tickets
for my friends from the local and foreign media from my own
pocket," she complained.
Born to a wealthy Chinese-Indonesian family in downtown
Jakarta, she did not grow up expecting everything to be given to
her. "There was no way that my parents would spoil us. We were
forced to work very hard to achieve our dreams," Ika recalled.
Instead of studying business and finance as suggested by her
father, Ika enrolled in 1973 in the then famous Far-East Dress-
Making and Design School in Shanghai and later in Hong Kong.
Four years later in l977, she continued her studies at the
London College of Fashion where she learned the art of design.
To improve her design skills and to learn the tricks of the
fashion business, Ika worked with German fashion house L'Estelle
for four years.
Ika later opened her own boutique and fashion house, Butoni
Ltd., based in Hong Kong and Bali. She is currently active in
various international fashion shows in the United States, Europe,
Asia and Australia.
In 2000, Ika established the Moda Bali Foundation in order to
set up a library, fashion and art center for local artists. The
foundation is aimed at raising funds to provide scholarships for
talented art and design students.
Ika, a devout Buddhist, is now happy living in Bali and Hong
Kong with her American interior designer husband and their seven-
year-old son.
"I was quite angry when people were so suspicious of me saying
I only intended to make money from the Bali Fashion Week," Ika
said.
It was her old friends like Pia Alisyahbana, Poppy Darsono who
encouraged her to continue with her project despite the many
obstacles.
"In times of crisis, we should aggressively promote our
products to potential buyers. We cannot just do nothing, just
waiting for a miracle," said Ika. (raw)