Sebastian Gunawan fashions a new look

By Agni Amorita

JAKARTA (JP): A man with principle. That's how we should describe fashion designer Sebastian Gunawan, who will present on Monday, Nov. 15 his second line collection called Votum at the Ballroom in the Mulia Hotel, Jakarta. More than 75 of Votum's latest creations are set to be shown.

"There go my new millennium colors, such as red, pink and green," said Sebastian, who will also present blue denim in various cuts, such as a raincoat jacket in zebra patterns. "There will be red, white and black jeans too." Sebastian said he will show pants to pallazos, short sleeves to long sleeves, and mini to maxi dresses. "I want to begin the New Year with a colorful warm greeting."

In fact, colorful is his main attribute. The sustained attack of gray for the last two years was unable to persuade Sebastian to become a lavender fan. And that is just a start for the long list of his unshakable design principles.

When Jakarta was flooded by the kebaya mania (kebaya is a traditional Indonesian long sleeved blouse), Sebastian Gunawan maintained his colorful and modern city look collections. He has even strengthened his well-known European influence, although he has been forced to cut his budget to buy imported fabrics in the monetary crisis. Sebastian can drop his price to Rp 150,000 per piece by his minimalist approach.

"Being creative is the key word," he said. In return, Sebastian's consistency has given him a great number of loyal clients that enable him to innovatively invent more creations. This must be the main reason why earlier this year in the ongoing monetary crisis, he launched his newest line -- Sebastian & Cristina -- and also an expensive bridal collection. He even agreed to help a local theater group by donating some creations for its performance. Sebastian's first costume designer job started last October in the week-long Miss Julie, a classic drama by August Strindberg put on by Jakarta's Institute of the Arts.

Sebastian spent two months researching the costume for actress Inne Febriyanti, who performed as Miss Julie, as well as for the other characters. "This story's setting was in the Middle Ages so I had to transform it without losing its flexibility to be worn," he explained. For Miss Julie's dancing scene, Sebastian created a sexy sleeveless nightgown that in various publications was suggested as a supporting element for the success of Miss Julie.

Born in Jakarta on July 2, 1967, Anwar Sebastian Gunawan or Seba as his friends call him, admits that he adores beauty.

"And basically fashion is about being beautiful," he said. His interest in the fashion world began in his junior high days.

While his schoolmates went to movies after school hours, young Seba went to the Susan Budihardjo Fashion School in Jakarta. "I was only 17 when I attended Susan's class," he recalled. Then Seba flew to Los Angeles's Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in 1988. Later on, as Seba started to take on the influences of European style in his works, he decided to pursue further studies in Milan. "I spent two years at the Instituto Artistico Dell' Abbigliamento Marangoni," said Seba, who graduated with distinction for his Fashion Illustrations.

Milan became his second home. "I started my professional career as a designer there," said the former designer for Milan's Egon Von Furstenberg boutique. It was also Milan that introduced Seba to Cristina Panarese, the mother of his daughter.

"Cristina was my schoolmate," said Seba. "And we have always held different viewpoints about fashion," said Seba.

Seba tends to create elegant gowns while Cristina, who used to work for Radisa For Titolo By Basile in Milan, is fond of the naughty -- and sometimes the avant garde -- street look. The two different perspectives -- Yin and Yang, East and West -- work well for both of them. "It made us realize how we need each other."

The couple were married in 1992 and have made Jakarta their home.