Muslim fashion: Getting Ramadhan, Idul Fitri in new style
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As a predominantly Muslim country, fashion for Muslims is very important to many Indonesian women.
To welcome the coming holy fasting month of Ramadhan, which starts on Wednesday, and the Idul Fitri holiday that follows, Muslim fashion designers have introduced their latest collections.
While it seems that many glanced at Mideast or, at least, Indian fashions, the collection that most stood out was that of designer Iva Latifa who adopted the hanbok, Korean traditional dress.
Iva sees Korea as an Asian country with a typical yet rich culture. Fashion-wise, Korea has a simple, loose and elegant national costume that suits the ideal women's Muslim style.
"The basic principal of Muslim fashion is that it doesn't show the body shape and must be made of a light and absorbent fabric that enables the body to breathe."
"With the Korean style, I only needed to work on the head scarves," Iva said, adding that she called her collection Akulturasi (acculturation).
And she did so creatively. Her head scarves are not loose- hanging scarves but have the ends twisted up and coiled.
Her designs, mostly of handmade silk, were presented recently at the Muslim Fashion Trend 2003, which was organized by the Indonesian Fashion Designers and Entrepreneurs Association (APPMI).
For her tailored, multiple piece outfits, Iva used contemporary colors of light green, shocking blue, yellow. She used contrasting colors for the scarves, dresses and outer layer of the gowns which gave an upbeat effect to her designs.
Iva also used floral motifs, mostly decorating the edge of the outer layer -- the cloak.
Designer Nuniek Mawardi, whose educational background is industrial engineering, apparently played around with lines -- both symmetric and asymmetric -- for her latest designs.
Using various materials like lace, hand-woven cloth, silk, cotton, velvet and chiffon silk, Nuniek experimented with Greek mythology concepts in her clothes, which were in blue, black and fluorescent colors.
Nuniek's ready to wear clothes have symmetric and asymmetric cuts for the skirts, head scarves, dresses and oversized belts.
"The designs are for active and dynamic women who like innovative Muslim fashion," Nuniek said.
Unlike Nuniek, Eulisia used fabrics with motifs from nature in her Muslim fashion designs. Leaves, flowers and butterflies stand out in her collection. All her dresses are a combination of two colors, such as pink and green, yellow and blue as well as green and blue.
Muslim fashion has become more popular than in the past and has become simple yet chic for both men and women. More women are wearing Muslim fashion on certain occasions.
At the House of Shafira, a leading Muslim fashion boutique, the multiple-piece Muslim outfit has become outdated and has given way to stylish, loose fitting garments.
The House too experimented with various supple colors.
"It's a time for festivities. We present a colorful collection that will help our customers stay in good spirits because fashion can ruin your day if you get the wrong design," said House designer Fenny Mustafa.
In most of its collection, the House minimized adornments. Reversed embroidery, paillettes and simple knits were the finishing embellishments on its clothes.
Besides women's Muslim fashion, the House also caters to men. Its collection for men, the Shaf, is dominated by blue and brown colors and the shirts are combined with soft denim.