Spotlight on PEGGY HARTANTO: Shining in simplicity

Trailblazing Indonesian fashion designers are making their marks within the fashion industry. Surabayan-born and raised designer Peggy Hartanto has an impressive portfolio – graduating from Raffles College of Design and Commerce in Sydney, Australia, being named in the "30 under 30: The Arts" list by Forbes Asia and having her clothes worn by celebrities such as Gwen Stefani and Gigi Hadid. Not only she made a name for herself, Peggy also opened a new path for local ready-to-wear labels to go international.

Image: (from left to right) Petty, Peggy and Lydia Hartanto

Peggy told TFR the story of her journey in building her eponymous brand. "At first, I designed PEGGY HARTANTO to share the style that I would like to have, the one that I like and what I wanted to wear. Petty (art director and marketing) and Lydia (managing director) then joined. Each of us has a different style, but we bring different input to the label. The inspiration for each collection is different, depending on the big theme that I decided to work on at that season, but I think the styles always reflected us three," she explained.

Peggy Hartanto's trademark designs play with feminine elements and juxtaposition – bright coloured jumpsuit paired with an oversized plaid trench coat, straight leg trousers with layers of frills, as well as off shoulder top with billowy sleeves. With each collection, her clothes can be defined as bold and cool-girl looks.

Some of her best works are simple, such as her effortless sheath dress with a slight cutout around the body to give a good bit of skin. Her clothes are urbane yet light; moody with bright orange, black, dark green and light blue in the colour palette.

As a womenswear fashion designer, Peggy continuously channels her inner youthful energy. She creates clothes for women who want to feel empowered. Her vision is predicated upon no constraints – age, lifestyle, or personality.

Her Spring/Summer 2020 collection is inspired by the life and works of a surrealist from Mexico, Frida Kahlo. The distinctive style of Frida Kahlo is Mexicanidad, a mixture of European and indigenous Mexican elements. Peggy combined these features in her SS20 through colour play, bold lines and playful silhouettes.

There were long palazzo pants with elastic waistband, sleeveless blue maxi dress with tiered ruching, asymmetrical hemlines on dresses and skirts, as well as off shoulder tops with puffed-up sleeves. There were subtle, more elevated utility elements with the buttons and the belts.

When paired with tropical and earthy colours, such as mint, sunflower yellow and light pink, the clothes create a sense of escapism. Notably, her use of various fabrics, such as jacquard, cotton, crepe and twill, create an engaging dialogue with all the experimental silhouettes and colours. Perfect for a summer getaway but also to wear in the city. PEGGY HARTANTO encapsulates the feeling of being beautiful without being complicated.

The bold colours, definitive designs with clean lines and innovative use of fabrics and construction are not as simple as it looks. Peggy walked us through the creative process: "It's all starting with mood board and colour palette for the new collection, 3-4 months prior to collection deadline. I would choose a big idea that intrigue me at that time since I will dedicate some time to dwell on the topic. My sketchbook is with me everywhere I go, so I would sketch it there every time a new idea came up. I will briefly discuss the styles with the design team and management team briefly, then we will start picking or printing the fabric with the right feel for the style. We will make a sample garment, then adjust and fix it from there. Every style would be tried on and got feedback - does it feel good, are the details in the right place, is the pocket deep enough, etc. Once all looks are completed, they will be re-curated into a collection."

An enigma in today's local fashion scene, PEGGY HARTANTO has reached a point far beyond the local fashion stage. Through hard work and by constantly pushing the limits, the brand has received numerous recognitions and accolades. Lydia shares the teams' aspiration; going international was always their dream.

"We put our focus and efforts to go to that direction. We have worked together with a PR company in the US, contacted media, partners and influencers, joined several international fashion competitions and joined Paris Fashion Week for bi-annual PEGGY HARTANTO showrooms, updating ourselves with the latest industry news, and so on. I think the most important thing is to keep developing and preparing yourselves so that when the right timing/chance is coming, you are ready to take the challenge."

Having extensive experience with fashion design and running a brand. Peggy branched out to the fashion retail business. As one of the founding members of ARA Jakarta, Lydia mentioned that it has allowed them to keep in touch with their clients by opening and running a collaborative store – whether through events, emails, or retailers. The road wasn't always easy. It took some time for them to learn.

As Lydia said, "We consciously always make it a priority to listen to our clients. However, as one of ARA's co-founders, we get to see PEGGY HARTANTO from a different angle, from a retailer point of view. This is a huge learning curve for us.”