Spotlight on TOTON: Reimagining Indonesian culture and heritage

Cultural heritage can be a determining factor of one's pride and joy. Toton Januar infused his inner creativity and Indonesia’s rich culture into his designs and created his eponymous brand TOTON (@totonthelabel) to pay homage to the Indonesian heritage. A contemporary ready-to-wear women's brand, TOTON explores the intrinsic values of Indonesia's cultural heritage and traditions.

Without diminishing the aspects of divine beauty and values, the brand reimagines traditional craftsmanship with new, unexpected flourishes, such as intricate beadings, layered, textured fabrics, as well as hand-carved wooden jewellery.

Holding on to one’s values while still being able to always envision and create clothes that look fresh and alluring is not an easy feat, yet Toton successfully achieved it. His way of experimenting with tailoring and new shapes, mixing heritage and innovating core fabrics is nothing short of remarkable.

For his design process, Toton said, "I am very emotional in terms of the design process, which means I always come from my own personal experience or sentiment. Most of the time, the starting point also comes from a need to express myself on what is happening. I then gather elements around the idea, translating the emotions into elements of colour, shape, texture. I do mood boards, and sometimes I took photographs of things that catch my attention to be put there. For me, everything speaks a certain vibe, emotions."

Toton works with many people to turn his dreams into reality. There are 12 people in his studio, comprising managers, admins, studio assistants and seamstresses and craftsmen. The team is responsible for all the sampling and some of the production. He also works with a partner factory in Solo to produce his collection.

Each of his garment represents himself and his passion for exploring Indonesia's natural beauty. "Indonesia is in our DNA. Our starting point has always been Indonesia. We draw inspiration from the nation’s rich and diverse culture and heritage, so I'd say our soul is Indonesian. I mean, we can pour all the crafts, techniques and silhouettes of a certain culture to a pot and stir it, but the outcome might not have the essence of what it was made of. For me, it's not about using a batik motif or a specific embroidery technique. I like to study the reasoning behind the Indonesian way of dressing, both the traditional and urban/contemporary ways. I find many wonderful things in the way traditions were constructed, that there is always a story and reason for every choice–from spinning the threads to wearing the clothes. One thing for sure, from the western to the eastern ends of Indonesia, the culture are all eclectic and full of symbols. I think this is also one of the things the brand always reflects in its design."

A designer will always have in mind the archetype of the gender they want to promote. Toton's garments are made for new-age women who appreciate art and have a sense of tasteful luxury and beauty. His clothes are intended to make them feel unique and memorable.

In hopes of continuing to move forward, Toton strives to offer refreshing perspectives while staying true to his muse–Indonesia's nature and culture. "I am also interested in studying Indonesian people's way of dressing from the bygone era, but what excites me is the street; the everyday life, the hustle and bustle of Indonesia's cities, towns and villages. My favourite is the traditional market where you can see people from every walk of life. Indonesians’ traditional way of dressing is mostly eclectic, but you will find a different kind of 'eclecticism' in the way the ladies at the market dress. A meeting between traditional and 'make do,' it is essentially organised chaos; an amazing one most of the time."

His Spring/Summer 2021 collection offers an elegant, feminine pastel colour palette with a daring take on silhouettes and use of fabric. Ideating various spiritual perspectives, his primary inspiration for this collection was the Hindu and Buddhist relics. “They serve not only as symbols, but also as a contemporary medium that reflects prayer and hope." This can be described as a harmonious melody – a gentle but courteous take on what he calls "recontextualising Indonesian heritage."

This particular collection felt more organic: there were enthralling tailored blazers cinched by wide pastel-coloured waist belts, embroidered fabric button-downs, as well as bronzy breastplates that contrasted with all the very soft choices of colours. The accessories were just as detailed and fantasy-like as the clothes–beautifully handcrafted macrame bucket hat with elongated threads and mismatched oversized wood carving and beaded earrings.

After creating fresh ideas and statement pieces, Toton said that he doesn't consider his work as avant-garde, but a translation of all his new and reworked ideas. "I've learnt that as well as to always stay true to our identity as a brand, we also should never forget our customers and try to give solution and/or excitements they need." Trends are just merely a reflection of our time. It's more about the spirit of the trend. The spirit connects us all, for better or worse.