Young designer makes his mark in Paris

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)