Sarongs, white brocade combined in distinctive collection

By Stevie Emilia

ULUWATU, Bali (JP): Wearing sarongs with Indonesian traditional kebaya-inspired blouses when hanging around with friends may be greeted by fashion lovers with a frown.

But the idea appeals to the Bali-based fashion designer Irsan, who translated the idea with full enthusiasm into his latest creations, which were presented to an audience at La Indonesia restaurant here on Wednesday evening.

Entitled The Story of Grandma, his creations were presented in a country atmosphere and a theatrical way.

Opened with the reading of a poetic letter written by a grandmother to her late husband, the show was divided into three acts. The models included children and old women.

"I dedicate this show to my mother. She's a tough woman," said Irsan, praising his mother Kholidjah Batubara after the show, which was held to coincide with his 27th birthday.

The designer's favorite color, white, dominated the collections presented in the first act, entitled Soerat Tjinta (Love Letter).

Clad in various shapes of white brocade kebaya dresses directly ordered from Paris, sleeveless and transparent cotton and polyester blouses decorated with lace, the dresses were matched with batik, knee-length or ankle-length skirts and flat sandals or low-heeled shoes.

Irsan, who used to work as an assistant stylist at Didi Budihardjo's Anonymous fashion studio and then as assistant designer for Adjie Notonegoro's House of Adjie fashion studio in Jakarta, said that he selected kebaya dresses not to follow the present fashion trend.

"I never follow trends ... It's just that through these collections I want to show that we can use whatever we find here in our country as long as we're creative," said the designer, who prepared his creations for the show only in two weeks.

After researching traditional textiles in the country, he blended ethnical nuances by selecting traditional fabrics, such as woven fabrics from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara and bright sarongs from North Sumatra, which gave a fresh touch to his designs.

The sarong-dominated creations were presented casually in the second act. But unlike the old-fashioned way of wearing batik or sarongs, Irsan's clear-cut sarongs are unique since they are easy to wear and match all kinds of blouses.

"I blend ready-to-wear fashion with ethnical nuances which are not too formal and don't follow certain requirements (according to traditional fashion). It is up to us how a dress is worn, not how it should be worn," said Irsan, who prefers to call himself a tailor.

Apart from his unique sarong collection, Irsan's two wedding dresses -- a western-inspired dress and an Indonesian one with a glittering sarong and white brocade kebaya -- attracted the most attention, receiving thunderous applause from the audience who praised the simplicity of his design.

The designer, who set up his own fashion studio, the House of Irsan, in Kuta, Bali, in 1993 where he caters to made-to-order fashion -- mostly evening gowns, introduced his second line, Irsan 1711 early this year. And next year, the designer is scheduled to present his collections at the Fashion Cafe and Hotel Kempinski, where he is scheduled to open a House of Irsan boutique in January.

A fashion lover, Yoke Wibawa, praised Irsan's new collection as creative and whimsical.

"I see he blends facts and imagination in creating his designs," she said after the show.

She also found it appealing that Irsan chose sarongs to translate his creativity. "Now I think, wearing sarongs, why not? And the kebaya is not old-fashioned either."