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.