Singers tuned in to trendsetting fashions
Singers tuned in to trendsetting fashions
Muara Bagdja
Contributor
Jakarta
Top singers, the likes of Krisdayanti, Titi DJ and dangdut diva
Inul Daratista, know that to be true professionals they need to
put their careers in professional hands.
That includes surrounding themselves with capable managers,
make-up artists and fashion designers to share their expertise.
"As a singer I concentrate on my show, for example, my voice,
my choreography and my rehearsals with the music group. As my
dress provides vital support for my performance, I need
professional help from a designer," said Titi DJ.
Ruth Sahanaya, who began her career in the 1980s and has
gained success in the pop and Christian music segments, agrees
with her and is a walking advertisement for local designers.
"When I appear on stage, I usually don attire designed by our
own designers. My dress is custom-made. I tell you that the works
of our Indonesian designers are excellent. You have greater self-
confidence if you put on something that a designer has made,"
said Ruth, better known as Uthe.
Designers like Sebastian Gunawan (favored by Titi), Didi
Budiardjo, Biyan, Ronald V Gaghana, Adjie Notonegoro, Denny
Wirawan, Eddy Betty and newcomer Sally Koeswanto are some of the
big names creating fashions for entertainers.
It's a two-way, mutually beneficial relationship: Designers
welcome the professional attitude and fame of the singers in
promoting their creations, while the latter get to wear the very
best of local fashion.
"A singer must consult a designer to ensure that whatever she
puts on will really match her. We designers can show them the
right clothes to wear," said Adjie, now designing for singers
Reza and Iis Dahlia as well as Inul, the hottest thing to hit the
local music scene in years.
As high-paid professionals -- Inul reportedly gets at least Rp
45 million a performance, and Krisdayanti probably earns several
million more -- the singers are required to please the public by
looking their very best.
"Singers draw in an audience not only with their voice but
also with their appearance," Uthe acknowledged.
With the tabloid and fashion press watching for every
potential fashion faux pas, performers cannot wear the same
outfit to several shows in a row.
Petite Uthe, although preferring the soft-pastel tones of
Biyan, said she realized that she needed to try different things
to ensure she is not stuck in one outdated image.
Several months ago, when the miniskirt made a comeback, she
wore one. For a recent TV appearance, she put on a dress by Didi
Budiardjo in lace and shantung, with a sabrina cut at the
shoulders that spread broadly from the waist down.
"This time the style resembled that of Audrey Hepburn," Uthe
said.
Some entertainers feel completely at ease in the creations of
a particular designer.
"Once you try Sebastian Gunawan's design, you will always want
him to design your clothes," Titi said. "He gives you real
comfort. The bustier part fits well so your breasts remain firmly
in place."
And the singers and their designers know that the former's
high-profile appearance can spark a fashion trend when they wear
one of their creations.
A saleswoman in a boutique at an East Jakarta mall recollected
how two young women came in searching for a pair of knee-length
pants matching those wore by Krisdayanti on her TV show the night
before.
Before the ascension of Inul, there was Krisdayanti, the girl
from East Java who landed on Asia Bagus, the region's equivalent
of Star Search, and has since made a name for herself as a savvy
entertainer. Her style -- whether it's a bouffant hairdo today or
a wig tomorrow, colored contact lenses, streetwear or ballgowns
-- is duly noted and copied.
Titi DJ was known for wearing a beret at one time in her
career, a style copied by many other trendy young women. Permed
hair came in because of several singers adopting the style.
Inul's pantsuits are also catching on; she has made it acceptable
for short, stockier women to wear pants without fear of looking
"hippy".
The entertainers allocate a budget for their wardrobe, working
out the price with their designers.
Uthe said singers needed to be clever in mixing their attire
for different events.
"We have to be smart in arranging the wearing of our dresses.
If you put on a particular dress in Jakarta, then next time wear
it somewhere else. If you would like to put on the same dress a
second time, let some time go by before you wear it.
"Or, modify the dress here and there before putting it on a
second time," she said.