Sjamsidar speaks on fashion's future

T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta, tabita@cbn.net.id

The reform era, which allowed for freedom of expression in the country, also breathed new life into the world of fashion.

People dressed in a more audacious manner, while designers were more creative, according to Sjamsidar Isa, chairwoman of the executive board of the Indonesian Designers Association.

"Globalization and freedom of expression affected the people as well as the designers. These days they do not hesitate to express themselves by experimenting and exploring new ideas, as seen over the last five years," the 58-year-old Sjamsidar, affectionately known as Tjamy, said.

"When we talk about fashion, I should underline that we are not necessarily referring to glamor," she added.

Made-to-order garments may cost millions of rupiah but those that are ready to wear are much less expensive.

Exclusive boutiques in the city often carry runway-favorites from the latest collections of local and international designers. For those with an eye for fashion (but not the purse to match it) a cheaper alternative is to head to Mangga Dua shopping center in North Jakarta or Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta.

Even roadside stands stock funky accessories, if you know what to look for.

Fashion, Sjamsidar says, is much more than good dress sense. Indeed, while many embrace it as a lifestyle, those that are serious about fashion use it to reference history, popular music or their own lives, for example.

While Sjamsidar is not a fashion designer, her background is in the arts. She danced as a child and later studied textile design in Dusseldorf, Germany, where she lived for seven years.

"But after just two days of sketching designs for textiles I left and worked as an assistant to Iwan Tirta," she said, referring to the fashion designer, famous for his use of batik.

On her third working day, Iwan, who was busy with many orders for uniforms, asked Sjamsidar to take care of the project. Since then, she has been involved in fashion in a managerial context.

Sjamsidar resigned after working for Iwan for two years. Along with two designers, Prajudi and Lily Salim, she established a new company called Studio One in 1975. The idea was to market one-off pieces as off-the-rack garments were not yet popular here.

The new company was introduced to the public via fashion shows and other events, which were so well executed that other designers approached Studio One to ask for help in organizing their own promotional activities.

Sjamisdar enjoyed her knew job and in the early 1980s, decided to pursue her career in public relations and become an event organizer.

"You don't know what you will be. You might study a certain field, but when you work, you might do something totally different. It depends on many factors," she said.

In 1985 Sjamsidar and some fashion designers like Prajudi, Susan Budihardjo, Ghea Panggabean and Poppy Dharsono, established the Association of Indonesian Designers (IPMI). Like other artists, fashion designers are somewhat sensitive and can be competitive.

It was agreed that the organization should not be chaired by a fashion designer. But, as the right person for the position needed a deep understanding of fashion, Sjamsidar was asked to be chairwoman. She still holds the position.

In the late 1980s, however, Poppy and some members of IPMI decided to set up a new organization called the Indonesian Fashion Designer Entrepreneurs' Association (APPMI).

Sjamsidar was born in Palembang, South Sumatra. She was the youngest of three children and her father, Mohamad Isa, was the first governor of the province. The young Sjamsidar was a keen dancer and even won the national level of the Serampang Dua Belas dance festival.

"When I was in junior high school, I taught dancing," she said.

After finishing junior high school, she told her parents that she wanted to be independent and moved to Bogor, West Java, where she studied at Regina Pacis high school and stayed in the school dorm.

She later studied economics at the University of Indonesia but left to join her brother and sister -- who were studying in Germany -- after just one year, as Indonesia was plunged into chaos with the attempted coup of 1965.

Sjamsidar, who is married to her high school classmate -- an interior designer who also studied in Germany -- has three children. The eldest, Aida Nurmala, is one of the stars of the recently-released drama/comedy Arisan.

Aida, studied hotel management in Australia and Switzerland and worked in the industry here for a while. But she did not really enjoy life as a hotelier and began to show an interest in the arts.

At her own request, Sjamsidar was appointed director of Studio One, while her mother works with her as the company's president director.

"I trust my daughter to handle the company and let her work in her own way," said Sjamsidar, adding that she did not want to be like many parents who half-heartedly let their children run the family business.

Sjamsidar, who is also founder of the Batik Foundation, is delighted to have been able to contribute to the fashion industry.

"At least, I have done something to make fashion a part of society," she said.

But her work is far from over, Sjamsidar observes that the industry could potentially provide many more jobs as it grows and develops.

"I really want to see Jakarta become the city of fashion. This is not easy, but if there is synergy among fashion designers and textile manufacturers, I believe we can make it," she said