Excitement will be running high for local fashionistas as Jakarta Fashion Week kicks off on Saturday . Showcasing new collections from more than 60 top designers, the eight-day style bonanza — although only in its third year — has become a major event in the country’s fashion calendar.
Featured in the festival are designers from the Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers and Entrepreneurs (Appmi), the Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers (IPMI), as well as independent fashion designers.
The opening ceremony on Saturday is to be held in the fashion tent on the ground floor of the Pacific Place mall, South Jakarta, and is scheduled to be attended by Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo. The ceremony will feature a parade of fashion designers and their muses — who will be sporting the designers’ finest creations. It will also include a traditional rampak bedug (Banten percussion ensemble) dance.
The annual event was initiated by Femina — a publishing group that produces a number of women’s magazines — with its “Festival Mode Indonesia” event on Sept. 6, 2007. The festival showcased the latest collections of 15 local designers, including Carmanita, Denny Wirawan, Edward Hutabarat and Sally Koeswanto.
In August last year, the publishing group collaborated with Appmi, IPMI and the Jakarta Tourism Office for the 2008 Jakarta Fashion Week, which, like this year, was held at Pacific Place. The event featured collections from 43 Indonesian and four Australian designers.
This year, the event will be bigger still.
“I hope that with this event the international world will become more aware of our fast-growing fashion industry, and that Indonesian fashionistas will become prouder of wearing our national products,” said Svida Alisjahbana, CEO of Femina Group and chairwoman of this year’s Jakarta Fashion Week.
Ruth Setyawati, marketing and communications general manager of Pacific Place, said, “The event will spark new creative ideas from Indonesian fashion designers, which can be a source of inspiration to all stakeholders in the Indonesian fashion industry.”
Several international fashion brands with outlets in the mall will also participate by organizing fashion shows during the week.
The opening night will be marked with a gala charity dinner, featuring the collections of two leading Indonesian fashion designers, Sebastian Gunawan and Priyo Octaviano, along with Indian fashion designers Tarun Tahiliani and Malini Ramani.
“It’s not only a fashion show, but also a cross-cultural exchange,” Svida said.
In June, Tahiliani and Ramani flew to Indonesia to learn about the culture, as well as to obtain traditional Indonesian fabrics for their new designs. A month later, Sebastian and Priyo headed to New Delhi to explore the wealth of Indian traditional textiles. Their cross-cultural interpretations will be showcased during the dinner.
Proceeds from the gala event will be donated to rehabilitate schools damaged in the Sept. 30 West Sumatra earthquake.
“Another highlight will be the fashion shows of Indonesian independent designers, such as Ivan Gunawan, Stella Risa, Merdi Sihombing and Benten,” Svida said. “These designers are not affiliated with Appmi or IPMI, however they will still participate by showing their collections during Jakarta Fashion Week.”
Children can also enjoy their own special shows during the event. On Sunday, Sebastian and his wife will present their children’s collections in the Ayah Bunda – Parenting Bubble Girl show. Children can also compete in the Kids Model Search 2009, hosted by Parenting magazine.
The following day, designers Najua Yanti, Fuji Tjandra, Tuti Adib, Junee Kwanda, Nieta Hidayani, Siti Haida, Dian Pelangi and Anastasia will bring their latest collections of Muslim clothes to the runway.
On Monday afternoon, Poppy Dharsono, a well-known local designer, will present 12 of her latest creations in a fashion show with the theme, “Recapturing Banyumas.”
“Despite my activities as a member of the DPD [Regional Representatives Council], I have prepared new pieces for the show,” Poppy said.
Her designs will combine traditional fabrics, such as batik from Banyumas, East Java, and lurik from Yogyakarta, with modern international textiles, such as silk and chiffon. Among her pieces are jodhpur pants and traditional headdresses.
“I think it’s about time that Indonesian fashion was appreciated here,” Poppy said. “Jakarta Fashion Week can set a benchmark for the growth of Indonesian fashion, as well as providing the means to further develop the industry.”
Two designers will also release their new second-line collections — Lennor by Lenny Agustin and M by Musa.
“I’m very excited about this event,” Musa Widyatmodjo said.
During Monday’s show he will introduce 96 ready-to-wear items for Christmas 2009 and New Year 2010. He said the new collections aimed to portray a simple touch of luxury without using glittery materials or ornaments.
“Following the current trend, the cut will be simple, yet modern, comfortable to wear and easy to mix and match,” he said.
The designs will be sold at his retail outlets in Jakarta department stores.
Svida said the event has received plenty of attention and support.
“I’m proud to say that Indonesian socialites and ambassadors’ wives who are running the Yayasan Jantung Indonesia [Indonesian Heart Association] will show their support by participating in the event,” she said.
The association has scheduled a charity event, Haute Couture for a Good Cause with Harry Darsono, on Tuesday. The even will raise money for the group’s programs, which include providing medical assistance to impoverished people.
More than 100 cover girls from Gadis and Femina magazines, including actress Dian Sastro, TV presenter Cut Tari and model-actress Ersa Mayori, will attend the event.
Jakarta Fashion Week will also seek to promote new talent in the fashion industry by hosting the 2009 Indonesian Fashion Designer Contest. Since 1979, the biennial contest has successfully discovered new designers such as Chossy Latu, Itang Yunasz, Widhi Budimulia and Samuel Wattimena.
Svida said she was optimistic about the week ahead. “The more all of us in the fashion industry shake and boogie, the more success we will all gain from this event.”
For more information and a complete schedule, please visit www.jakartafashionweek.co.id
Source: http://thejakartaglobe.com