Menswear: Let's hear it for the boys
Menswear: Let's hear it for the boys
Muara Bagja, Contributor, Jakarta
It is a woman's world when it comes to Indonesian fashion. They
can take their pick from a rich assortment of apparel available,
and in particular the market for luxurious evening gowns from the
many designers catering to their needs.
But the other half has been left empty-handed in the fashion
stakes. Even when a piece of menswear bears the "Made in
Indonesia" label, it's usually a casual or office shirt churned
out by the millions from a garment factory assembly line.
Made-to-order clothes are limited to batik shirts or suits for
formal wear, and there is really nothing made locally that is
stylish enough for a man to don for hanging out in a cafe or
clubbing.
The lack of attention to menswear cannot be explained away by
saying the local design scene is still finding its way. In the
20-odd years since Indonesian fashion began its development to
reach a wider market, the few designers who have put out a men's
line have done it as an accompaniment -- an after thought in some
cases -- to their main women's collections.
That may be changing as designers wake up to the potential in
the market, including the much-trumpeted international rise of
the "metrosexual" -- straight men who care about their appearance
and are willing to shell out cash for clothes and skin-care
products.
Ten designers, along with two garment producers and a
boutique, showed what they have in store for men at the Male
Fashion Trend 2004, held at Alila Hotel in Jakarta over two days
at the end of August.
The opening day saw designs presented by Samuel Wattimena,
Jazz Passay, SOE by Ratih Soe, Susie Hedijanto, Vincent Fak, Yivu
Boutique by Julie and Dhedy Rizaldy. On the second day, Taruna K.
Kusmayadi, Malik Moestaram, Ian Suhadi, Levi's, Nautica and Vick
Van Monsieur showed off their collections.
"I invited several designers to join this show," said Samuel,
one of the country's most prominent designers who took the
initiative for the event.
"Some of them have produced men's apparel for quite some time,
while some have just started this side of their business. In my
opinion, there is actually a good market for clothing for men."
He noted the growing interest in style among men in urban
centers, and that for most, looking good is a requirement.
"More and more men are making TV appearances on various
occasions, ranging from talk shows to TV films," he said at the
news conference held prior to the show.
"We organized this fashion show to inform the public that
there are now a number of designers that specially design
menswear."
Although the designs blended inspirations from different
cultural elements, two definitive fashion styles emerged.
Some designers looked firmly to the East, coming up with
kimono-style shirts, shirts with batik motifs, sarongs and black
velvet rimless caps, similar to traditional Indonesian peci.
Others took the advice "go West" to heart, with designs taken
from the fashion lore of cowboys, rock culture and hippies.
Yet even the latter designs were truly "local" at heart,
selecting elements from international male fashion trends and
adapting them to the tastes of local consumers on the designers'
own terms.
"To enjoy these collections, set yourself free from any
references," Samuel said. "These designers are presenting their
own collection that meets their own needs."
Or, as designer Taruna put it, it is a breath of fresh air for
the heretofore staid menswear scene.
"Usually, we see men come to a party donning a batik shirt or
wearing a suit. It's sooo boring."
Now there are choices galore for the boys.
For ethnic elements, look to Samuel's designs, such as the
kimono-style loose shirts on Tuban woven textiles, Makassar silk
and woven fabric from East Nusa Tenggara.
Jazz Passay borrowed from the Ujung Pandang style: a suit, a
shirt and silk sarong with a rattan rimless cap, while Ratih Soe,
taking historical inspiration from King Mulawarman from the
kingdom of Kutai in Kalimantan, used a sequined Lycra T-shirt
paired with a sarong.
Susie Hedijanto presented shirts with motifs representing the
reliefs of temples, shadow puppets and ancient maps. Ian Suhadi
tapped the beauty of woven fabric from Garut, West Java, with
collarless casual shirts and loose trousers.
For men whose tastes run to the more modern, Dhedy Rizaldy's
collection, including shirts with details on the seams in the
cowboy style, would suit them just fine.
Vincent Fak was inspired by the dark and beguiling fashions of
rock stars, with all-black clothes made up of a combination of
leatherwear and embroidered items.
In the hands of Malik Moestaram, hippie chic came alive in
hemmed shirts with embroidered flowers. As for Vicky Sutono and
Arifan Mas, the design team of Vick n Van Monsieur, kites were
the inspiration for white shirts and white trousers, featuring
many attractive seams and pleats.
Yifu Boutique by Julie showed youth-oriented streetwear,
sending models down the catwalk in T-shirts and ripped jeans, as
well as the softer look of a cream shirt and pants for a low-key
night out on the town.
It's inevitable that the collections are exclusive because
they remain limited in quantity, but Samuel hopes such events
will bring more prominence for Indonesian-designed menswear.
"Today we have the lifestyle, the need and the garment
products. We only need suitable sales outlets," he said.
It was a pity that while showcasing menswear is a great idea,
choosing the venue of a club with poor lighting and an ill-
designed catwalk failed to do justice to the fashions.
"We aren't confident enough to hold this show in a star-rated
hotel," Samuel said, noting that this is planned as an annual
event.
"We were afraid that the audience would be very small and we
also wondered whether this show deserved an upmarket setting."
Valid concerns, perhaps, but it will take some more bold steps
before menswear gets the respect and the place it deserves on the
local fashion scene.