Moslem attire show not just about fashion
Moslem attire show not just about fashion
By Dini S. Djalal
Busana Moslem show
JAKARTA (JP): In an age where the barely-there slip-dress is the trendiest garment to wear, the Indonesian Fashion Designers' Association staged a show to address the wardrobe needs of Moslem women.
Entitled "Trends 95: Indonesian Muslim Wear", the show on Jan. 26 featured the collections of 16 designers, the majority of whom are female.
At first glance, it seemed like any other fashion show, with bright lights and glitzy clothes. But beneath the glamour lay a multitude of issues affecting the development of modern Islam: nationalism, feminism, and religious conservatism.
In Surah 24, verses 30 and 31, the Koran advises that women and men, "lower their gaze and guard their modesty", and that women "should draw their veils over their bosoms and display their beauty only to their husbands, their fathers". Specifically, the aurat (parts of the body other than the palms or the face) should be covered.
Yet veiling and purdah in Middle-Eastern societies were initially an upper-class privilege, for the labor of poor rural women were needed on the fields. In Javanese and Outer Island villages, this is still often the case, for female labor, whether on the farm or in the marketplace, remains a necessary component of rural subsistence.
In the early 1980s, however, veiling became popular among female university students. Although wearing a head-dress with school uniform was then prohibited, some students protested the restrictions and continued to don the jilbab (headdress). In 1991, the restrictions were at last lifted, and since then, the jilbab has become a commonplace sight in many classrooms.
Similarly, with many prominent Indonesians such as President Soeharto's daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana and pop-singer Ida Royani donning the headdress, Moslem wear also gained popularity among the upper-classes. The expansion of the market led to an expansion of the Moslem garment business, with annual sales increases particularly peaking by 50 percent during the fasting months.
If the aim of busana Muslim (Moslem attire) is modesty, then Feny Mustafa's vivid red ensembles showered in sequins seemed to be a contradiction. Her collection dramatically opened the show, but the garments screamed for attention. In Islam, tabaruj, or to attract attention with one's appearance, is looked down upon.
Lilly Junus' collection also touched a sensitive nerve. For inspiration, she chose the bright ikats of Goa in South Sulawesi. There were rainbow-colored jackets with tie-dyed motifs, and skirts drenched in yellows and oranges. The bridal couple were dressed in matching citrus-colored prada skirts with gold jackets.
In her defense, Junus explained that the situation necessitated the ostentatious outfits. "In a fashion show, you need to attract the audience's attention", said Junus. "For everyday clothes, though, I prefer simple but stylish clothes".
Junus is a relative newcomer in the industry, and started designing at her friends' insistence and reassurance that there was a market for colorful Moslem clothes. Her garments are "not as expensive", she said, as those of her peers, and prices start at Rp. 150,000.
Most of the other collections were also in very bright, rainbow colors. Some, such as Anne Rufaidah's fuchsia ensembles adorned with megamendung (white-cloud motifs) batik prints, were charming and demonstrated clarity of thought. Other designers, such as Ina Rahma's or Corrie Kastubi's assorted baju kurung (long tunics), chose no particular color palette and showed no tangible direction other than to drape the body with yards and yards of technicolor fabrics. Moslem women may not have as many choices of wardrobe as the average fashion victim, but they undoubtedly are able to discern between the ordinary and the inspired.
Ethnic designs
Speaking of inspirations, the theme of this year's show was Indonesia's motto of "Unity in Diversity". Each designer chose the arts of an ethnic group or province and worked from these foundations. As with the application of color, some designers successfully translated their "inspirations" as well as transforming the ideas into their own signatures. Others chose the easy way out, which is to substitute individual style with readily-available "ethnic" designs, textiles, and accessories.
Raizal Rais, usually a fountain of innovative ideas, dressed models in bright ikat vests and kain panjang (ankle-length skirts) with baju kurung. The bridal procession was basically a stream of your average Sumba or Flores princes, resplendent in ikat headdresses and kain. Ida Royani's collection of earth- shaded Lombok ikat ventured on more convoluted terrain and bore an uncanny resemblance to Flores ikat. The appropriation of ever- popular ikat designs by the fashion industry is hardly avant- garde, and seems like the result of a shopping trip to Bali.
Maybe Rais and Royani were on the same expedition as Arlieza Razalie, for she declared Bali as her inspiration. Yes, it's a free world, which is why there are Japanese Rastafarians, Texan Buddhists, and Balinese Moslem attire. Today, cultural appropriation is not so much an issue as it is a trend. Yet on a strictly aesthetic basis, the addition of the Hindu-Balinese destar (headband) on top of the jilbab seemed incongruous and in bad taste. Although the bride and groom, who wore black velvet, were wrapped in exquisite red and gold Balinese songket, it seems unlikely that this ensemble will be adopted for future Moslem weddings.
The rest of the designers chose not to tread on explosive territory, and explored the cultural waters of Islamic regions. Nenden Zain presented her Madurese batik in pretty pastels, while Hermina Kunadi's "Batik Basurek" (alphabet batik) from Bengkulu displayed ornate Arabic calligraphy designs. Minawati Sardja applied the Islam-inspired motifs of the Gayo of Aceh, including the half-moon and interweaving florals and vines. Donna Hasbiya chose Central Javanese batik, and painted it in the Islamic colors of black and green. The only travesty was that which befalls upon much Indonesian fashion design, which is the tendency towards excess rather than simplicity. Bright boxy boleros were layered over boxy jackets, creating an unflattering busy effect.
Designing Moslem attire is the gray area which often invites tense and critical words. The designer's point of view is that veiled women have the right to be stylish and trendy. Many busana Muslim designers are women, in contrast to the rest of the male- dominated fashion industry. Lilly Junus explained that she designs because she is tired of Moslem women being mocked for their appearance. Her garment enterprise, therefore, becomes the channel through which she may improve the image of her "sisters" and speak on behalf of them. There is feminist nobility behind Junus' words. Unfortunately, the fashion industry remains embedded in the search for profit. As Evi, a busana Muslim retailer from Bandung, said, "Most women buy Moslem attire for special occasions, but we who wear jilbab never shop for any other clothes." She also added that the biggest growing market for busana Muslim is among the upper classes, some of whom equate piety with a sequined silk selendang (scarf). The quest for modesty becomes entangled with the quest for profit and prestige.
It is encouraging, therefore, to find that the equilibrium between style, beauty, and modesty, may be achieved in the right hands. The best collections of the evening were by Ida Leman and Aan Ibrahim. Both used neutral black as the foundation on which they applied elaborate gold embroidery or fantastic prints. Ida Leman applied the intricate designs of Kalimantan Dayaks for her streamlined silk jackets and palazzo pants, but used it sparingly as sleeves and hem trimmings.
Similarly, Aan Ibrahim lightly applied the tapis embroidery of Lampung, his birthplace, on the borders and crests of his lean silhouettes, creating an aesthetic which is entirely his own. Green is his choice of color, in sync with its status being the color of Islam. These clothes will unfailingly attract attention as would a beautiful face framed by a jilbab. It is attention that is deserved, if only because it pays respect to the traditions from which it originated.