Bali van Java in Harajuku in the Last Show
Jakarta - 24 Agustus 2008

By yesterday, Fashion Mode Indonesia -Jakarta Fashion Week’s 5.000 visitors had witnessed 14 shows displaying the creations of 47 designers that when totalled exceeded 600 pieces. Today, was, as COO of Femina Group and Chairman of FMI-JFW 2008, Svida Alisjahbana summed up, “ a culmination of this (fashion) event. We are sure of all the participants are proud of this event."

The first Australian designer to make an appearance was Jayson Brunsdon with his Susie Wong collection influenced by the bamboo curtained nations. Featuring streamlined pencil dresses, tricoloured frocks and embellished with bamboo and calligraphy prints, the chic simplicity of his daywear is reminiscent of a spring day in Japan. A stronger character appeared with the entrance of his evening wear of gunmetal, sapphire, olive and mustard mettalic hues accented with sequins. Eileen Kirby was a fun-filled flirty ride of tulle, big-bowed frocks and those that caress the body with its silkiness. The dusk sees her collection turn into shimmery dresses fit to paint the town red in.

The most-talked about show in town was Akira Isogawa’s whose creations glided down the runaway in a gentle breeze of nudes and ethereal shapes that waft like ghostly floral fragrances. A vision of an almost unbearable lightness, as if the wearer would be whiskedd away into the wind. Natural shades progressed into the colours of a French countryside in the bloom of spring. His line also comprised of solid dresses from the bolder end of the colour spectrum, silken, with outer wisps of tulle.

Aime Cristie filled the stage with criss-crossed backs, strategically placed cut-outs, a happy mix of crinkled light linen with tufts of lace and tulle, polka dot sprinkles intermingled with lacy snow-white tights, wooly tassles and ruffles dressed up bias cuts, layered butterfly and flowered appliques highlighted every one of her playful frocks.

The 125 participants of the LPA (Designers Accessories Competiton) ranging from 21 to 62 years of age and originating from Jambi, Denpasar, Makasar and many other cities were put under the critical eye of a prestigious jury panel consisting of Rinaldy A. Yunardi (accessory designer), Yongki Komaladi (shoe maker), Samuel Mulia (journalist and fashion critic), Nancy Goh (designer of Bagteria), Petty Fatimah (editor-in-chief of Femina), Ni Luh Sekar (editor-in-chief of Dewi) and Diaz Parzada (creative director of Estetica). Wincent Setiawan, a student from Depok and the youngest of the nominees in his category, garnered first prize for his Waltz of the Flowers for the Shoe category while Batik Crochet was the jury’s choice for the Bag category with C. Sari R.’s designs. Jakarta’s very own Lia Christina Chandra took home the prize in the Accessories category with her collection dubbed Bumi Gonjang-Ganjing.

The Ten Knights of Fashion Today & Tomorrow parade by Dewi magazine stole the show and ended the FMI - JFW 2008 with a bang. "We chose these ten designers on the basis of their high quality and commitment to the art of fashion. What they have all attained is the ability to create designs that is ubiquitously worn by and related to every woman," stated Ni Luh Sekar, DEWI magazine’s Editor-in-Chief.

The ten Knights strutted down the catwalk to a standing ovation from the audience as they were introduced by emcee Sari Nila, signalling the significance of their body of work and their reputation which preceeds them.

Sebastian Gunawan wowed the crowd with his dusky rose and fawn delicacies that enchant with their gathers, scintillating beading, intricate lace edges and ladylike silken white gloves in silhouettes that swirl around the body like layers of a decadent wedding cake. Bali van Java in Harajuku by Priyo Oktaviano was a crowd-pleaser with his bold dashes and splashes in every colour of a deliciously bright candy spectrum. The culmination of lemon yellows, tangerines, forest greens and deep plums when mixed with hand-painted gold motifs in the form of jodphurs, sarong dresses, kimono-inspired loose dresses and blousons were almost blinding.

Nomads rules Deden Siswanto’s catwalk with his collection In Nomad Vibe. Filling the stage with crinkled silk, light chiffons and printed silk cloths he created light and floaty pieces - floor-length capes that capture the wind, flowing hoods that frame the face and layers after folds of sweeping silk. With Couture Mix, Barli Asmara made the audience go wild with his crinkles and ruches and Bottega Venetta braids that flounce and puff in voluminous dresses, shrugs, coats and tops of subdued grays and off-whites.

Dark gothic romance reined Ali Charisma’s The Power of Love with the presence of his gold brocades, slippery silk gowns, feathered edges, gemstones bodices, Transylvanian coats and a shockingly skin-tight leather jumpsuit in shades of midnight, coffee and moss. Giving his pieces a powerfully tribal albeit international edge in Naturalistic Poetry, Denny Wirawan combined woven cloths from Bali, Timor and Sumba with animal prints and contemporary silhouettes.

Carmanita’s Des-construction was of pastel-hued and tie-dyed softness with her harem-inspired pants, tights and folds of volume. Basing his silhouettes and shades on the shapes and colours of butterflies, Stephanus Hamy’s Metamorphosa was one of winged glory with his structured capes and folded gowns in bark, brick and brown. Sally Koeswanto gave new meaning to the term Little Black Dress with her biting modern edge of boudoir bustiers, Spanish flamenco frills, over the knee pencil skirts in crinkled leather, strapless cocktail dresses with bondage bows and halter-necked gowns with a dipped back in Timeless Beauty. Pop culture by Oscar Lawalata concluded the parade with his loose maxi skirts in opaque and printed sheers combined with puffed sleeves.

As for predictions of upcoming trends, Carmanita called 2008 a "year of prints, the vintage and the oriental look which will spill over into the next year’s trends. I see laces making a comeback though we should rejoice that prints will hold out for at least another year."