Jakarta Fashion Week 2023 Review

Written by Ilman Ramadhanu | Read in Indonesian

Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) returned offline after two years of being held online. This year, JFW put their focus on celebrating the diversity of Indonesian talents by providing the stage not only to heavy-hitters, but also newcomers such as Tanah Lesae. Aesthetically, this year's JFW also felt more open to the diversity of perspectives from various designers. Be it a feminine and colourful perspective from Peggy Hartanto or a subversive one from Harry Halim. Messages of sustainability were prevalent as well throughout the week, as apparent from Rinda Salmun and Sejauh Mata Memandang who created their collections using deadstock fabrics. Overall, this year’s JFW successfully reflected the face of Indonesia’s fashion industry of today and the future.

Tanah Lesae

In the midst of euphoric fashion extravagance at this year’s JFW, Tanah Lesae stood out with their intimate fashion presentation. Models walked with poise to a sombre violin number and a gentle romantic poetry that played concomitantly in the background, creating a serene atmosphere like that of a wedding ceremony.

Weddings were the main source of inspiration behind the collection. The show notes read that the collection is inspired by the complexity of love.

Tanah Lesae’s aesthetic that exists at an intersection between masculinity and romanticism translated this concept by taking elements from wedding dresses to reimagine formal menswear pieces. In one of the looks, a square neckline from kebaya dresses was incorporated into a modernised black beskap and paired with a brocade maxi skirt. Other elements from kebaya dresses, like lace, was also seen throughout the collection, as it was made into a wide range of sheer shirts, skirts, belts and cardigans.

The most interesting part of this collection is the floral details. In the opening look, an asymmetric white shirt was embellished with a floral draping on the side, while a transparent lace fabric with floral motif was merged into other fabric by using a kintsugi technique to create a delicate shirt. These details made the collection felt complex, yet filled you with a sense of tenderness.

Sejauh Mata Memandang

Sejauh Mata Memandang combined fashion and social movement at this year’s JFW. At the 2020 JFW, they presented pieces with typography that spelled out expressions such as “Menolak Punah” and “Darurat Iklim”. This year, they presented a collection that includes tea-length dresses, skirts, oversized capes and kaftans that were made using recycled patchworks filled with imagery that carried environmental messages.

Though the brand carries important messages, the collection elicited a conflicting reaction. On one hand, this collection felt more modern compared to their previous ones. Kebaya was given a contemporary twist as it was turned into an outerwear and paired with a crocheted bra and a pair of lace capri pants. Another piece is a sheer dress that was layered with a bra on top, making the collection look fresh.

Yet, the use of white and grey made the collection feel bland. Then, the string of architectural coats a la Gareth Pugh that was shown at the end of the show made you wonder about the direction of the collection. While they did provide the show with a dose of drama that it needed, the sense of ease that was carried throughout the earlier collection was missing in these coats, making them feel rather out-of-place.

Rinda Salmun

At Rinda Salmun’s show, the audience was given a masterclass in layering. One that specialises on textures, colours and silhouettes. First, she provided the base looks which consisted of oversized shirts, pants, dresses and skirts that came in nautical colours like white and blue. These looks were then elevated by adding layers of macrame.

The macrame was used to infuse a pop of colour and texture into the collection, as apparent in a white skirt in one of the looks that was made more interesting by the layer of macrame in different shades of blue. Similarly, a simple black dress was elevated with a layer of neon yellow macrame dress on top.

She also brilliantly used the macrame to provide shape in a collection that was filled with boxy silhouettes. A blue macrame halter dress was layered on top of a white ensemble, creating an illusion of a female figure. Elsewhere, the macrame acted as a corset that cinched the waist in against a flowy oversized shirt.

Harry Halim

There was a separate fashion show held by influencers and celebrities that sat at the front row of the Harry Halim show. Their sunshine yellow tulles, head-to-toe leopard and leather corsets stood in contrast against the white venue. It honestly felt like we were transported to the set of a “Zoolander” movie. That is the beauty of Harry Halim though; he allows us to be a freak of nature, in the best possible way.

The collection reflected what the audience wore, dramatic and glamorous. Blazers and jackets were slashed super shorts and given a risque cut-out along the waist and hip line. The silhouettes were exaggerated by the oversized frills that kept appearing ubiquitously. Just when you thought it wasn’t dramatic enough, each look was paired with a pair of 20-cm platform boots called Kitana.

Elements of punk were also prevalent in the collection. One of the looks showcased a monochromatic black leather look where every inch of it was embellished with metallic studs. The models also wore gravity-defying hair, a reference to a 1970s punk artist Soo Catwoman.

The show notes read that the punk elements were meant to translate the concept of the collection, which was a story of love that breaks boundaries. Although, it was really hard to understand this “love defies all” narrative. Perhaps, it was told through the colour scheme, as the show opened with a parade of mournful black looks before gradually moving to more colours that spark joy, like neon yellows and pastel purples and ending with glorious whites and silver.

But still, this collection was a testament to Harry Halim's incomparable perspective that cut through the uniformity of this year’s JFW.

Peggy Hartanto

Peggy Hartanto celebrated their 10 year anniversary by presenting a collection inspired by the “Waltz of the Flowers” scene in the 1940 movie “Fantasia”. Much like the seedlings, leaves and flowers that magically swayed around to the tune of Tchaikovsky from that scene, each model moved gracefully in a collection of hyper-feminine dresses, jumpsuits, mini skirts and bralettes in bold floral-inspired colours.

There was a certain level of sophistication in the way that each piece was cut and tailored. But then, Peggy Hartanto’s signature scallop details, combined with colours like neon green and powder pink, added an element of childlikeness into the collection. They incorporated this detail into virtually everywhere, across the front and back of dresses or along the sleeves of shirts as well as into bucket hats and shirt collars. This detail infused a certain sense of frivolity into a refined collection, resulting in a perfect balance of quirkiness and elegance.

Closing the show were two evening gowns with identical circular motifs that were presented by two models who walked synchronously. The symmetry of the motif in these gowns was nothing short of magical. When these gowns appeared, a sea of phones emerged in an instant ready to capture one of the best fashion moments of the week.Now there is another shade of pink taking centre stage, one that excites and symbolises an energising dose of optimism. It is none other than the colour hot pink or also known as shocking pink, and it is currently the subject of obsession in the fashion industry.

Aidan and Ice

Designs from Andre Courreges, Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin suddenly came to mind after Nadia Tusin and Eunice Salim, the designers behind Aidan and Ice, mentioned to the press that their collection was going to be inspired by the retrofuturism of the 1960s and 1970s. These are designers who pioneered retrofuturism with their radical materials, like chainmail, pvc and moulded plastic, as well as bold colours and aeronautical silhouettes. Needless to say, my interest was piqued.

A nod to the 1960s was seen immediately as a monochromatic black sequin shift dress opened the show, accompanied by a tune of swinging disco. The atmosphere was electrifying, but unfortunately, the thrill stopped there. The same black sequin kept being regurgitated over and over, perhaps to channel that glamorous disco energy, but it was made into a crop-top or a-line dress which felt unimaginative. They did switch it up midcourse when the tweed vests and shorts in brown and white appeared, though it felt equally as inexpressive.

The collection felt like a missed opportunity, particularly when we think of their point of reference which would have allowed them to go above and beyond in terms of colour, silhouette and choice of material.

However, there was something so ingenuous about how they incorporate the jewellery into the collection. That black sequin a-line dress was elevated by the colossal chain necklace it was paired with. There was also a blazer embellished with connective chain brooches across the lapels. There was also a shoulder strap covered with glimmering crystals that provided texture to a minimal off-the-shoulder white dress, making it chic and original.