Oscar combines technology and culture for designers award
Oscar combines technology and culture for designers award
By Agni Amorita
JAKARTA (JP): In mid-April, fashion designer Oscar Lawalata
flew to Singapore, carrying a dozen black-and-white suits bearing
bodo motifs to represent Indonesia in the ASEAN Young Fashion
Designers Contest 1999.
His two months of toil preparing for the contest proved
worthwhile: He won the second prize of 4,000 Singapore dollars in
the prestigious annual event.
Born on Sept. 1, 1977, in Pekanbaru, Riau, Oscar said he chose
the bodo motif, which originates from South Sulawesi, because he
knew he could innovate it to suit the theme of the contest:
culture and technology.
"Culture and technology reflect harmony in life, because
culture links us to the past and technology to the future," he
said.
Oscar synthesized the South Sulawesi cultural heritage with
modern fashion technology by creating a sophisticated rectangular
pattern. His creation won the admiration of designer Walter Ma,
of Hong Kong fame, who was one of the three judges at the
competition.
Most impressive about Oscar's design is the level of
sophistication of his geometric pattern, which is also highly
wearable.
The modern technology that Oscar spoke of is the combination
of five types of textile in a single piece of clothing.
"I used traditional materials like Ujungpandang silk and
combined it with tulle, cotton tulle, synthetic leather and
furring.
The high wearability is made possible by a buttonless zipper
system and single size designs, appropriate for any occasion.
Oscar, who represented Indonesia at the fashion contest after
winning a national competition, also presented accessories such
as leather thongs, fans and bronze plaited bandanas, as well as
unisex pants and sarongs.
Oscar began to fully dedicate his life to the profession three
years ago, shortly after completing his tailoring course at
ESMOD, Jakarta.
"I learn fashion from foreign magazines and watching films and
video clips. I think fashion in Indonesia has not properly
developed."
He opened a boutique on the ground floor of Mal Ambassador,
South Jakarta, two years ago, targeting youths and young women
"who want to appear different".
"In every piece of my collection, there is always something
that makes it different from that of other designers. Also, I
create high tech collections," said the youngest child of comedy
actress Reggy Lawalata.
His collections sell for between Rp 150,000 (about US$19) and
Rp 250,000 a piece.
Oscar said he had no specific plans for the immediate future
other than to develop his business.