Young designer makes his mark in Paris

PARIS (JP): A decade ago when Samudra Hartanto left his hometown of Malang, East Java, to study in Australia, he never dreamed that he would become a design assistant for such a prestigious fashion designer like Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton.

Now he is a true Parisian who lives in the trendy Marais area of Paris and loves to dine on seafood and snails at the well- known brasserie Lipp, on the opposite bank of the River Seine.

In his leisure time Samudra enjoys visiting museums, antique fairs and flea markets.

"Now I actually see the things I only read about in books and magazines. I am catching up and learning about decorative arts, painting and fashion history, especially all that has to do with the 1920s!"

He appreciates the elegant dress of French women, besides observing the mixture of international cultural influences in Paris or simply walking around different areas to compare the architecture. Recent shows from the vast choice here in Paris from which to choose from are the personal art collection of Gustav Rau at the Luxembourg museum, or painters such as Courbet and Matisse inspired by the Mediterranean, on exhibit at the Grand Palais. Here one also glimpses stylish outfits portrayed by artists in the recent past.

The young Indonesian designer's first cultural shock came after finishing high school in Indonesia and arriving in Sydney with his sister.

He learned to express himself in English: "I was not very good at English in high school and had to take an intensive course in Bondi. On the train on my way to language school for the first time, I noticed that Australians were not all blonde with blue eyes, there are a lot of Asians in Sydney!"

The language barrier was soon overcome and Samudra was able to concentrate on taking evening courses at the Whitehouse School of Design in Sydney. He studied fashion illustration to prepare a portfolio for fashion school and also pattern cutting.

Why did Samudra choose fashion? The reply comes without a moment's hesitation: "I was always fascinated by clothes. My mother made all her own clothes according to the latest styles in European and Indonesian fashion magazines, and I loved drawing new models. Luckily my father had traveled abroad a lot and finally agreed that a career in fashion would be alright!"

Before leaving for London to apply for fashion school, Samudra spent some time in Jakarta as an informal assistant to famous Indonesian fashion designer Biyan.

"I was very happy because he let me stay and watch how he prepared a show, I learned a lot about the practical side of the business this way! It is essential to have an idea about how the clothes are made and not only make sketches."

In London Samudra attended the Royal College of Art for four years to learn about pattern cutting and fashion illustration. Samudra is grateful to Prof. John Miles who passed on his profound knowledge about textiles and different fabrics. He went on to design knitwear and continue learning about textiles, and then decided to go directly into women's wear.

Samudra trained with Norman Hartnell, couturier to Queen Elizabeth, for one year and then went into high street fashion at Whistles. He then joined Amanda Wakely to design couture and ready-to-wear. Here he realized that accessories such as shoes can make or break even the most elegant garment.

Robert Duffy, another former teacher recommended him to Marc Jacobs when the latter was setting up the design studio for Louis Vuitton, after being taken over by the multinational LVMH in December 1996. Samudra crossed the Channel for his interview in March 1997 and was accepted for a trial period of three months.

He then became one of Marc Jacob's assistants.

The young Indonesian designer helped to bring out the first Vuitton collection in early 1998, shown at the Glasshouse of the Andri Citreon Park in Paris. Although he is responsible for accessories, occasionally Samudra will also design a costume for Jacobs at Vuitton, such as the recent petrol blue crocodile suit.

Modest as ever, Samudra continues to work hard, conscious that teamwork is essential for success. He believes that he still has a lot to learn. The amiable designer who hails from Malang is open to novel experiences, gathering inspiration while traveling around the world for Louis Vuitton. (Kunang Helmi-Picard)