Fresh Faces: Nyemas Indah Nabilla
Bali-based jeweller reincarnating the ancient in Subeng Klasik
F&M’s Fresh Faces is a series featuring young Southeast Asian fashion practitioners and speaks with them about how they embarked on their careers and what propels them as creatives.
Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
Nyemas Indah Nabilla is the founder of Subeng Klasik, a jewellery brand established in 2019 based in Sanur, Bali specialising in classic Indonesian styles. After studying Fine Arts at the Institut Kesenian Jakarta (IKJ) or Jakarta Institute of the Arts, Indah dove into jewellery-making after noticing a gap in the market for affordable and accessible traditional Nusantara pieces. The word Subeng in Balinese refers to the earrings with elongated backs usually worn to complete traditional costumes in Java and Bali. The word is in turn derived from the Javanese term ‘Suwung’ which symbolises emptiness that comes from synchronicity with nature. A believer of reincarnation, Indah perceives classic jewellery as vessels of recorded history that synchronises the past soul with our present body when adorned with familiar glimmers of the ancient.
Classic Balinese subeng, 24k Gold Plated on Brass. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
Classic Balinese subeng, 24k Gold Plated on Brass. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
Could you talk about your background? And at what point did you decide to pursue a career in fashion?
I studied Fine Arts at IKJ, where I was able to concentrate my study on ancient materials and visual culture. I decided to build a classical jewellery business out of my own love of vintage Nusantara styles. Subeng Klasik was born out of coincidence and without much planning, as if it was fate guiding me at the right time and right place.
How have you maintained your practice? What are the important factors that have kept you going?
Maybe it is more accurate to say that I am starting out and not maintaining my practice, because I do believe that this is just the beginning. The main factor that has kept me going is the feeling of personal and social responsibility to keep the culture alive.
Brooche from the Subeng Klasik Bhuta Khala collection. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
Brooche from the Subeng Klasik Bhuta Khala collection. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
Brooche from the Subeng Klasik Bhuta Khala collection. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
How has Indonesian fashion/jewelry history shaped your jewelry-making practice?
The relationship between Bali and tourism is like a head and a body. When the tourism scene in Bali becomes inactive, its people become paralysed without their main source of income. For decades the local jewellery industry in Bali has been one of the iconic cultural economies that has depended on tourism to sustain itself. Especially during the pandemic when tourism in Bali came to a halt, I realised that this was an opportunity to pursue my passion while also keeping the local industry alive. I thought “Why not?” and moved to Bali to do this full-time.
I work with four local craftspersons from Gianyar and Celuk and we have had a relationship since 2017 when I was looking to expand my personal antique collection. For custom orders, I handle customer requests whether they come with a clear design in mind or a few ideas for me to sketch out designs. I then go to craftspersons who create our products by hand or if needed we use wax moulds and 3D-printing for intricate designs. I think my role in Subeng Klasik is comparable to an art dealer in that I curate the products or services from craftspersons and connect them to those who appreciate their work.
Peridot earrings. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
Besides that, we also upcycle antique jewellery in two main processes: restoration and recycling. When curating antique jewellery, I look for classic Indonesian styles from across the archipelago so I observe their shape, engravings and other cultural stylings. Now that we have a larger online presence more people who have vintage jewellery consign their pieces for us to sell whereas before this, I had to source the pieces myself. In the restoration process, we sterilise the pieces, fix any dents, dip them in gold or silver, and sometimes add new jewels before it is ready to sell. Furthermore, in our recycling process we use scrap metals from our own shop or other local craftspersons to minimise waste.
You work with Balinese craftsmen to handmake all of your jewelry. Could you talk more about this process?
I take inspiration from ancient relief, archaeological literature and archaic scriptures when designing jewellery. However, some of the pieces are recreations of artefacts from ancient kingdoms in Nusantara. I usually use image references from museum collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, and the Tropenmuseum that are available to the public. Unlike descriptions from recovered texts, which are usually difficult to decipher or not detailed, these references allow our craftspersons to lean into their classic maximalist style that has been passed down in Indonesian jewellery making since prehistoric times.
Rings from the Majapahitan Jewellery line. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
Nandiswara ring. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
In our Majapahitan Jewellery line, we recreated several bronze and silver Majapahitan rings that were recovered near the kingdom’s capital in Trowulan, East Java along the Brantas River. Some of the rings were functional pieces that belonged to warriors to show their allegiance to the army or stamps with Sanskrit inscriptions. Other rings expressed the syncretic Hindu and Animist beliefs, such as turtles which represent prosperity and longevity, and horses which were prominent animals in Majapahit.
Another notable Majapahitan piece is the ‘Nandi’ ring. In Hindu mythological lore, Nandi or Nandiswara is an anthropomorphic bull and one of the guardians of Shiva, the God of destruction. In modern times, older generations would pray to Nandi to ask for fertility.
Subeng Klasik earring, ring and necklace. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
As a traditional jewellery business owner, how do you build your client base?
Back when we started our clientele, it mostly consisted of my personal social circle. However, I believe that the path that I took is affirmed by nature and the universe. When Subeng Klasik was founded in 2019, it coincided with a trend in the fashion scene where traditional Indonesian styles were no longer considered tacky. Since we opened, I have not felt the need to do any endorsements because business has been rolling in steadily, and people have been enthusiastic about classical jewellery.
How do you think budding jewellery makers can kickstart their careers?
Focus on honing in on your passions, the things you love to do and what you know intimately. If you are diligent, there will come an opportunity that opens a path which rewards and sustains your practice. Being paid to do a hobby that never bores you is honest, enjoyable work.
Tara Basro wearing Subeng Klasik photographed by Jonathan Andy Tan. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
Tara Basro wearing Subeng Klasik photographed by Jonathan Andy Tan. Image courtesy of Nyemas Indah Nabilla.
“Many of our products are recreations of what is considered art, so these jewellery pieces are not only valued by their craftsmanship but also by the ancient stories they tell.”
Who has been an important influence in the fashion industry for you? And why?
I often feel intimidated when I hear that my practice is considered fashion, because I perceive my practice as art. Many of our products are recreations of what is considered art, so these jewellery pieces are not only valued by their craftsmanship but also by the ancient stories they tell. This is why no one comes to mind as a source of inspiration for Subeng Klasik— I am inspired by the ancient aesthetics of Nusantara, the Majapahit empire, the Singosari kingdom and more.
What are your hopes for your local fashion scene, and in Southeast Asia as well?
I have no specific vision for the local fashion world, because I believe that people should follow their own personal styles and create their own trends. However, I do hope that other designers in the field commit to learning the histories and cultures that should ground their practice.
This interview was translated from Bahasa Indonesia.
Visit @subengklasik on Instagram to purchase classic Indonesian jewellery.