Review of Jakarta Fashion Week 2023
Celebrating the diversity of the Indonesian fashion landscape
Jakarta Fashion Week 2023 Campaign Image. Image courtesy of Jakarta Fashion Week.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) 2023 marked the return of physical shows after shifting online for the past two showcases. Held from 24 to 30 October 2022, the event took place at a new venue at Pondok Indah Mall’s City Hall, replacing its usual setting at Senayan City, where JFW had been held since 2013.
JFW’s offline return presents an opportunity for Indonesian fashion practitioners to reintroduce their practice. Although the local fashion landscape has taken a big hit with the pandemic, it has been resilient in adapting to the challenges during times of uncertainty. These circumstances eventually inspired the theme of this year’s fashion week.
Titled ‘Fashion Reformation’, Svida Alisjahbana, the Chairwoman of Jakarta Fashion Week stated at the show’s press conference that the theme represents the efforts of local designers and labels in adapting to the changes caused by the pandemic. This included seeking out new creative paths to bring their practices forward and stay relevant in the industry.
Jakarta Fashion Week 2023 Opening Show. Image courtesy of Jakarta Fashion Week.
Svida also explained that the physical show format aided designers and labels with easier access to form connections with their customer base, which the previous online showcases lacked. “The show’s theme not only represents how these local practitioners are adapting in terms of design but also how they innovate new ways of engaging and communicating with their clientele,” she added.
The JFW team selected designers and brands that are able to embody and translate the theme through their practices while clearly showing the direction they are heading in the future.
Into the Metaverse
The State of Fashion Report 2022 compiled by McKinsey revealed that with the rapid rise and expansion of virtual realities, the fashion industry is transforming from linear and transaction-focused spaces into multi-dimensional, experiential and collaborative virtual worlds. Joining in the global trend, JFW 2023 adopted an O2O (online-to-offline) integration and made its virtual-world debut in Nusameta, a metaverse platform developed by WIR Group, a technology company specialised in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). In addition to offline presentations, the event digitally exhibited the works of 21 designers in Nusameta.
Introduced last August, the platform was created as Indonesia’s digital counterpart that constantly parallels real-world occurrences in the country. Joshua Budiman, Nusameta’s Head of Metaspace explained in an interview that Nusameta aims to bring the physical experience of real-world events into the metaverse, with this year’s JFW being one of the first to be integrated into the platform.
JFW 2023 Virtual Experience in Nusameta. Image courtesy of WIR Group.
In the digital show, called the JFW 2023 Virtual Experience, viewers could see the newest collections of local designers and labels such as Peggy Hartanto, Sean Sheila, Jan Sober, Aesthetic Pleasure, ANW, and Tanah Lesae. This generated a unique fusion between the physical event and its digital equivalent.
At the press conference, Gupta Sitorus, Chief Marketing of WIR Group explained,“Nusameta gives the local designers a new economic opportunity, providing them with a platform to maximise their creativity without the limitations of physical aspects, such as material being one of the examples.” Nusameta, which could host 1,000 users per session, enabled the participation of viewers who were not able to attend the event physically, and charts a future path for experiencing fashion in Indonesia.
The Diversity of the Indonesian Fashion Landscape
Over the week, there were 34 fashion shows that presented the works of 116 local and international labels and designers. The runway welcomed both industry veterans and newcomers. In doing so, the week-long event successfully displayed the diverse aesthetics of the local fashion landscape. Whether it is Peggy Hartanto’s feminine and colourful collection, Sebastian Gunawan’s lavish haute couture dresses, or Sejauh Mata Memandang’s take on traditional garments and sustainability, each designer conveyed their perspective and creative approach to their practices.
Didi Budiardjo’s show at Jakarta Fashion Week. Image courtesy of Didi Budiardjo and Jakarta Fashion Week.
The works of couturiers Didi Budiardjo and Sebastian Gunawan were seen in a grand spectacle of wedding dresses that highlighted what both are known for — their meticulously made garments. Didi’s classic dresses in Victorian silhouettes and Sebastian’s collection, inspired by wedding gowns from past eras, were presented in a joint show as a part of the Indonesian Fashion Designer Council (IFDC), the first and oldest fashion organisation in the country, which was established in 1986 to push forward the local fashion industry in order to generate growth in Indonesia’s economic sector.
In the end, the intricate collection not only emphasised the designers’ high craftsmanship but also what went behind the scenes. The garment-making process, which required a painstaking amount of time and skills, is what makes the audiences appreciate the whole collection as much as they do.
Sebastian Gunawan’s show at Jakarta Fashion Week. Image courtesy of Sebastian Gunawan and Jakarta Fashion Week.
Working with local artisan communities, textile connoisseurs Obin and Chitra Subyakto, through their brands, Bin House and Sejauh Mata Memandang, reimagined silhouettes of the kebaya and transformed traditional textiles into a contemporary set of garments. Despite the visual contrast of their collections, they both share and successfully achieve the same goal, which is to preserve cultural heritage by celebrating traditional craftsmanship.
Sejauh Mata Memandang showed simple silhouettes, putting the focus on the deadstock and recycled fabric it used to reaffirm its stand on sustainability. This was also reflected in the opening looks—garments adorned with patches of white fabric that depicted colourful drawings and handwritten messages collected from the brand’s art installation at the annual Yogyakarta art fair ARTJOG 2022. Although this detail was not obvious for viewers who may not have known about the installation, I personally think that this particular feature displayed the depth of thought that went into the collection and the brand in general.
In contrast to Sejauh Mata Memandang’s muted palette of white, grey, and light blue, Obin’s showcase was dominated by vibrant pieces paired with batik and lurik skirts. While some looks stayed true to the traditional appearance of kebaya, others were adapted into modern forms with more playful structures. Bin House’s collection for JFW aimed to change the perspective of traditional garments, from being viewed as old-fashioned to something that could be worn by the younger generation, and the showcase achieved just that.
Bin House’s show at Jakarta Fashion Week. Image courtesy of Bin House and Jakarta Fashion Week.
With Indonesia’s strong cultural background, the industry has witnessed fashion practitioners’ efforts in reconstructing the nation’s traditional clothing, which many still correlate to ethnic costumes or specific textiles. Addressing this, Obin and Chitra wanted to create garments that represent a contemporary take on Indonesia that appeals to the domestic and global market. Sejauh Mata Memandang and Bin House provide individuals with daily wear that allows them to express their culture without being seen as outdated. It is through these small steps that we can contribute to preserving our heritage in the long run—a positive impact that I hope both labels will continue to bring to the industry.
Other notable brands that walked the runway were Peggy Hartanto and Sean Sheila, known for their quality of craftsmanship and refined designs introduced in their luxe ready-to-wear collections. Both labels returned to participate in the event’s finale, the Dewi Fashion Knight (DFK) show, which Dewi Magazine, a fashion and lifestyle magazine which is owned by the same company as JFW, launched in 2008. Throughout the years, Dewi Magazine has established its reputation for identifying the benchmarks of the industry through DFK.
Peggy Hartanto’s show at Jakarta Fashion Week. Image courtesy of Peggy Hartanto and Jakarta Fashion Week.
The show opened with Peggy Hartanto’s flora-inspired presentation. The designer’s focus on garment construction produced a collection with clean lines and feminine silhouettes that balanced out the bright saturated colours. Well-known for her progressive approach to design and clever play on geometrics, Peggy also reinterpreted her brand’s signature scallop edges as a part of the collection
Sean Sheila’s show at Jakarta Fashion Week. Image courtesy of Sean Sheila and Jakarta Fashion Week.
Sean Sheila’s deconstructed garments were inspired by body modifications. The designer couple, Sean Loh and Sheila Agatha Wijaya, translated the concept through the use of metallic hardware embellishments. The designers’ idea of modification was also applied directly to the shape of the garments, seen from the sharp shoulder lines, cinched corseted waist, and constructed sleeves that further showcased their expertise in tailoring. Both collections balanced well artistic explorations with wearability.
This year, JFW also featured the works of a new wave of young designers that emerged during the pandemic, namely ANW and Tanah Lesae, which I was personally looking forward to experiencing, and they did not disappoint. ANW’s presentation at the Fashion Force Awards represented the brand’s identity and what it stands for—designer Astrid Nadia’s love for textile manipulation. The collection was made with white sheer organza sourced from deadstock fabrics that were modified with technical methods of smocking, ruching, and embroidery. The outfits were made complete with crochet pieces handcrafted in the shape of ANW’s signature floral patterns.
ANW’s show at Jakarta Fashion Week. Image courtesy of ANW and Jakarta Fashion Week.
Tanah Lesae’s show at Jakarta Fashion Week. Image courtesy of Tanah Lesae and Jakarta Fashion Week.
Meanwhile, Tanah Lesae displayed a showcase that was inspired by weddings and romanticism. The designer, Denniel Richard’s gender-fluid approach in his practice can be seen in his garments, which reimagined menswear by taking elements from wedding dresses. The use of lace, brocade, embroidery and floral prints as the collection’s main highlight closes the gap between masculinity and femininity. Additionally, Denniel infused a traditional touch with his modernised and reconstructed version of a Javanese beskap, a formal menswear attire worn during wedding ceremonies.
Overall, JFW 2023 was successful in representing the current Indonesian fashion landscape and its immediate future. There was continuity from well-loved labels and new ideas from emerging designers, in an enjoyable – and exciting – showcase of the best of the industry, and JFW fully embodied its theme of ‘Fashion Reformation’.
Reruns of Jakarta Fashion Week’s live shows can be watched through their official youtube channel here.