Newcomers highlight of fashion event
Newcomers highlight of fashion event
By Yenni Kwok
JAKARTA (JP): Three young unknown Indonesian designers had
the spotlight turned on them last week when their designs
impressed the jury of the National Fashion Contest.
A nine-person jury, headed by Peter Sie, agreed to nominate
Arifan Mas, Thomas Yogi and Etty Bachetta to represent Indonesia
at the Asian Grand Prix Contest '94 in Osaka, Japan.
Indonesia is invited to send three designers to compete in the
contest with the theme, "City-look for Youths", said Pia
Alisjahbana, chairperson of the organizing committee.
Most of the designs are about nature or have a back-to-nature
touch. "It is the current trend," Alisjahbana said, "people are
more environmentally-conscious, caring more for the planet."
Arifan's design was called Eceng Gondok. He not only used the
form of eceng gondok, water hyacinth, as the inspiration for his
design, but also he used eceng gondok as the fabric for his
clothes.
Arifan's design is not just made of eceng gondok but is a
combination of the water plant and suede. "I tried to integrate
two components, plants and animals," said the student of Susan
Budiardjo Modelling School.
Arifan said he used eceng gondok for his male shirt, trousers'
pocket, skirt, and parts of the accessories.
"I got this idea after I watched a television program which
showed that Indonesia is trying to popularize eceng gondok in
Japan. However, the products were only accessories, they were not
made into clothes, yet," said Arifan, who determined to take the
challenge of making clothes from the water plant.
Alisjahbana praised the creativity of the contestants. "I am
very optimistic about the chances of the finalists, especially
the one with the eceng gondok theme. It is a natural product, not
yet mass-produced. But it can be, and it will be."
The other finalist, Etty Bachetta, of Jakarta, combined the
East and the West in her creation The Fishermen from the West.
She said she picked up the Indonesian fishermen's styles and
their fish-nets as the element of the East, while she took jeans,
the clothes of American cowboys, to represent the West.
"I only had one and a half days to do the design and to look
for the fabric," said Chozie. "I had been watching the fishermen
every time I ate seafood at Anyar Beach, Jakarta. I wanted to do
it a long time ago. Anyway, the Osaka contest asked for clothes
for youngsters. So, I combined jeans, the clothes of youngsters,
with the styles of Indonesian fishermen."
Environment
Concern about Indonesia inspired Yogi's design, Surat or
"Letters." "I am attracted to environmental issues, especially
after Indonesia was charged by other countries with environmental
destruction. On one hand, I am sad that Indonesia was the only
country attacked, but on the other hand, I also realize the
danger of the destruction."
Yogi then combined his concern with his long-time hobby,
correspondence. His male clothes had elements of letters,
envelopes and stamps. He said that Letters is about Indonesia's
forests and therefore he even had forest pictures on his stamps.
The contest also proved that domestically-educated designers
are not below the standard of those educated overseas. All of the
three finalists are students of local schools. Arifan is from
Susan Budiardjo, Chozie is from Bunka and Iswi, while Yogi is
from Inter-Studies.
"Domestic and overseas graduates are basically on the same
level. The important thing is a strong sense of determination,"
said Yogi, who has never entered the contest before.
"Indonesia's fashion schools give enough basic knowledge of
designs and fabric," said Alisjahbana. "A background from a
domestic fashion school is enough to enter the international
contests."
Yogi said his decision to enter the contest was triggered by a
desire to challenge himself as well as to show his students that
a domestically-educated designer could succeed.
Preparation
He and the two others succeeded in sending that message.
However, they still have more to prepare before their departure
to Japan in three months.
Alisjahbana said that in Osaka the finalists will be
interviewed not only about their designs, but also about the
story behind them. "We will help them sharpen their concepts,"
Alisjahbana pledged.
Arifan said he will go to Pekalongan and do additional
research about eceng gondok to prepare himself for Osaka. Like
the other two, he is both optimistic and pessimistic about his
chances.
"It will be too much to hope to win in Osaka," he said, "but
I'll try my best. This is a matter of representing my country."
Japan's well-known, high quality control has whipped the three
finalists into preparing their products as neatly as possible.
They must choose the best fabric and sew the clothes perfectly.
Because of the city-look theme, the designs also need to be
down-to-earth so that the clothes have a high market value.
However, they have tried to keep the price of the products under
a million rupiahs.
They are not merely concerned about winning or about selling
their designs. "The chance of winning is slim for me," said Yogi.
"A chance to join a world-class contest is more than enough."
Chozie and Arifan, in separate interviews, said that their
trip to Japan is hopefully not just for the contest. They hope
that they can also go to Tokyo's fashion centers to increase
their knowledge of fashion design.