Indonesia ‘knights’ its heroes at Jakarta Fashion Week
mis à jour le 7 October 2015 à 00:07
The Dewi ‘Fashion Knights’ finale showcased the spectacular work of 4 talented Indonesian designers to watch for.
It was a grand finale in every sense of the word.
After 7 days, packed with over 180 designers, 60 shows, 2500 outfits and 180 models, the fashion marathon that is Jakarta Fashion Week has come to an end on October 25, and has certainly saved the best for last.
The Dewi Fashion Knights show in a way summarized what this event was all about: Showcasing the best of the best Indonesian designers to the world – and it didn’t disappoint.
Oscar Lawalala
After a late start and a seriously packed venue, the show started off with Oscar Lawalala whose collection began with all-black, geometric pieces, with a space backround and ended with beautifully-crafted pieces in all colours of the rainbow.
While the first part was fairly simple with the work concentrated on the cuts and cutouts, the second part was all about the fabric.The designer has taken weaving techniques to another level by creating intricate designs which only by looking closely you can fully appreciate it. The cuts were left simple and elegant echoing a 50s and 60s vibe and contrasted by the models' futurists extreme fringes.
The designer also delivered one of the memorable moments in the show when he walked disguised as one of the models for the finale (photo right). A move which showed not only his sense of humour but also his vibrant character as evident in his work.
Toton Januar
Toton is the newest of all 4 designer and it must have been a pressure for the young up-and-coming designer to come up with a couture collection and share the runways with the rest of the more seasoned designers.
Known for his luxe pret-a-porter and accessories line which took the regional fashion scene by storm since its conception last year, Toton didn’t disappoint when he tried his hand on couture.
Every look had an immense amount of detail, some outstanding traditional techniques which the designer had combined with more modern ones, and although looked coherent as a collection – none of the looks felt repetitive even the slightest.
The models resembled a modern interpretation of mermaids with aqua colours combined with splashes of orange and yellow. The pieces varied from pants, shorts to flowing gowns contrasted with structured jackets that took our breath away.
As dreamy and ethereal as it looked, the collection’s main strength was in its high wearability – that is if you want to steal the spotlight from everyone else in the room. We definitely would!
Priyo Oktaviano
If Alexander McQueen and Balmain were to join hands and produce a collection – the result would probably be similar to the outstanding collection of Priyo Octaviano.
Regal and edgy at the same time, the models resembled a tribe – only a very high fashion one. The collection which was entirely in black, red and gold was dominated by geometric shapes, jackets and some stunning dresses fit for a queen.
The main star of the show was the embroidery and fabric work. Just like Toton, Octavio’s collection was a great testimony of how traditional fabrics and techniques can be modernised without losing their magic.
In Octavio’s case, it was all about Baroque embroidery which set a dark sultry mood and the bold cuts and straight lines were balanced by oversized structured black ruffles in some cases. Ear accessories finished the looks which were elaborate and masterful to say the least.
Tex Saverio
Known for designing the extravagant wedding dress for the most anticipated installation of the blockbuster The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and for dressing Lady Gaga, Tex’s was the show everyone was looking for.
Of course, how better to end the week long fashion week than showcasing an Indonesian designer who's got a flair for drama?
Although presented fewer looks than the rest of the designers, each look was a sight to behold. The models walked all the way and back – solo – to make sure all the attention was on THAT one dress which takes a while to fully appreciate.
Dark, gothic and almost demon-ish – the show was everything we expected from the drama master. The clothes were more like show pieces than anything remotely wearable by us mere mortals.
Elaborate masks hid the models’ faces, black on black gowns, corsets and capes – every piece was perfected to the littlest details.
Theatrical as it is, we enjoyed taking in the designer’s vision for its sheer spectacle which was perfect to end the day and the week.
The next Jakarta Fashion Week won’t take place until next year but meanwhile, we will definitely be heading to watch the next installation of The Hunger Games saga to catch more of Tex Saverio’s fabulous creations in the spotlight.
Rana Wehbe-Flinter
