Featured Article: IKAT Indonesia by Didiet Maulana 2013-2014

2013 has been a busy year so far for Didiet Maulana. He recently showed the first ever bridal line, released the 2013 campaign for his Mentari collection, and we heard that he’s going to launch a jewelry line later this year.

Last week, Didiet Maulana presented “Romansa Gala”, a 35-look latest collection from his growing IKAT Indonesia label in conjunction with the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S4 at Grand Hyatt Jakarta‘s Ballroom. Consistent with the use of Indonesia’s traditionally exquisite fabrics, he paired the conventional look with some conservative shape like below-the-knees sheath dress and adding some chic 1920s flapper details such as long pearl necklaces, headpiece and bias cut shapes. Soft color palettes like peach, olive green and pink dominated the rather casual first sequence. For evening choices, IKAT Indonesia offered luxe satin suits in dark green for men (which we lusting over it!) with ikat details on the shawl or long jacket, and elegant black dresses with sparkly sequins scattered all over.

Last but not least, we’d like to congratulate Didiet Maulana on his new collection and we are looking forward to see more from him in the future!

You can enjoy the complete runway images on our Facebook fanpage, here.

Please do not reproduce images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Denny Wirawan Bride 2013

Denny Wirawan presented his very first bridal line during Grand Hyatt Jakarta Wedding Fair last Saturday, April 13th 2013 at the hotel’s ballroom. The collection was named “Un Amore” and has more than 30 looks, including 7 pastel and metallic menswear suits. The current face of LT Pro and top catwalker, Katya Talanova landed the honor to opened the fashion show in a bold red flirty dress with flower petals. Flower appliqué appeared throughout the feminine yet elegant collection. Scattered below the waistline, on the shoulder, bust area, and on the train of a white dress worn by Ilmira Usmanova.

The 45 year old designer loved flower so much (as it fits the Un Amore themed very well) he even used it in forms of embroideries detailing, lace fabrics and damask patterns. Some of the beautiful headpiece by Oscar Daniel also comes with feminine flower details, while other headpiece was made from sparkly materials, metals, satin ribbons and feathers. The fun playful dresses in first sequence were very cocktail party appropriate with the use of pretty colors like teal, soft yellow, bronze, and bold red as primary color or just accent. Other details he used and featured in the second sequence were pearls, acrylic-like paillettes on the dress straps, and knotted belt–which is quite similar from his Bali Java collection showed recently at Indonesia Fashion Week.

Denny Wirawan gave lots of option for his various types of brides-to-be in the forms of svelte cheongsam, intricate evening dresses, mermaid gowns, kebayas, and ballgown shaped wedding dress (worn by Simona in the finale). This might be his first attempt to embrace the exciting bridal market, but we are pretty sure it won’t be his last. Check out the complete runway looks on our Facebook fanpage, here.

Please do not reproduce any images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Ikat Indonesia Bridal Collection 2013

The talented Didiet Maulana, with his growing Ikat Indonesia label, is branching out to the bridal wear with the brand’s first ever bridal collection Svarna (means gold coins) that was presented on Saturday, February 16th 2013, at The Ballroom Four Seasons Hotel, Jakarta.

He combined the traditional Palembang’s woven fabrics with lavish gold threads with international shapes of wedding gowns such as ballgown, strapless dress with long tulle train, peplum dress with tiered train, cheongsam, and halterneck. Even the menswear attire were using the similar fabrics which we definitely drooling over.

For the traditionally conservative brides, Didiet Maulana showcased a number of modified kebayas in rich, exquisite embroideries and paired it with beautiful shawls. As real life couple Dominique Agisca Diyose and Marshall Sastra opened and closed the show (with a special runway appearance from adorably cute flower girl), we couldn’t help but think that they two should get married in the beautiful pieces from the designer, right away.

Browse through our Facebook fanpage for the complete runway images from the fashion show, and a glimpse of the high-profile guests whose attending such as Mrs. Widi Wardhana, Mr. Ronald Liem (the publisher of DestinAsian, DaMan, Prestige Magazine and Joy Indonesia), Mrs. Miranda Tobing (the editor in chief of Herworld Brides Indonesia), and Miss Indonesia Universe 2013, Whulandary Herman (pictured below).

Please do not reproduce any images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Indonesia Fashion Week 2013 – Bali Java by Denny Wirawan

You know you’re in for treat when the first model out on the runway wearing a unique headpiece. Top Indonesian model Kelly Tandiono was the first girl sent out by Denny Wirawan, wearing a metallic sequined shorts, grey top, cropped jacket with beads, a heel-less platform shoes and a headpiece that looks like rice stems/rice straws.

Next girl out wearing a cropped pants, embroidered white shirt, and a cropped jacket made from Palembang’s songket fabric (he mentioned that some of the fabrics made from pineapple fiber), with similar color palettes as Kelly. The theme was “Poetique de Savane” in which the designer translated his inspiration, a dry African savanna, into a feminine, beautiful, yet strong collection with earthy and soft color tones such as brown, taupe, gold, grey, bronze, with a stroke of citrine. He wowed the audience at Jakarta Convention Center last week during Indonesia Fashion Week 2013, with 20 looks that exquisitely wearable yet still radiates traditional nuance.

Those Oscar Daniel‘s intricately natural headpieces getting more dramatic towards the end of the fashion show, where luxe evening wear (the kimono inspired dresses stole our attention) with long tulle trains were shown by Paula Verhoeven and fellow catwalkers.
It’s a true feast for the eyes, Mr. Denny Wirawan.

Browse through our Facebook fanpage, here to view the complete runway looks from Bali Java.

You can also read our previously posted reviews from Indonesia Fashion Week 2013: Sofie, Melinda Looi Couture, Rudy Chandra, Jeanny Ang Couture, and Kraton by Auguste Soesastro.

Please do not reproduce any images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Indonesia Fashion Week 2013 – Sofie

Algoritmic was the theme for Sofie‘s latest fashion show that showcased during Indonesia Fashion Week 2013 last Thursday, February 14th, at Jakarta Convention Center.

This year, Sofie presented a totally different approach from his 2012 Explosion collection, that was also presented in the same event. No more bright, bubbly, flirty colors. There were only monochrome palettes, with a few dash of blue and brown. The cutting was so urban chic yet practical with lots of minis, sleeveless dress, and cropped jacket that surely can be mix and match with other pieces from the collection.

He used grapchic modern patterns, dots, houndstooth and checkered prints in most of the looks (it’s so on trend this season), which suprisingly matched to the distorted noisy industrial soundtrack. For the menswear, the choice of colors were far more subtle, but still considerably wearable with rolled up textured pants and jackets with unconventional cutting. Bold accesories like big necklaces with chain and two-tone leather shoes (few shoes came in three different colors or with patterns) completed the look.

View the complete runway looks on our Facebook fanpage, here.

You can also read our previously posted reviews from Indonesia Fashion Week 2013: Melinda Looi Couture, Rudy Chandra, Jeanny Ang Couture, and Kraton by Auguste Soesastro.

Please do not reproduce any images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Indonesia Fashion Week 2013 – Melinda Looi Couture

Kuala Lumpur-born fashion designer, Melinda Looi showcasing one of her labels (the other two are Melinda Looi Prêt-à-Porter and MELL) in the recently held Indonesia Fashion Week 2013, last Thursday.

The three times Designer of The Year recipient (two from Malaysian International Fashion Week, and one from Mercedes Benz Stylo Fashion Awards) wowed the guests at Jakarta Convention Center with her folkloric, gypsy girl meets African queen collection. Chiffon, animal prints, lace, satin, and textured fabrics were her choice of fabrics. The shapes were loose and flowing, but somewhat still exudes the feeling of sexy, sultry and fierceness as top names Kimmy Jayanti, Dominique Agisca Diyose, Christina Borries, Putri Sulistyowati, Katya Talanova, Ilmira Usmanova, and Reti Ragil amongst other models walked on the wide runway that evening.

Looi, who graduated from La Salle School of Fashion in Montreal, Canada, completed the bold looks with equally bold accessories. Multiple strands necklaces, big glamourous earrings, multicolored turbans, chunky bracelets, and striking antlers headpiece and arm bangles. See the complete runway looks on our Facebook fanpage, and get ready to be blown away!

You can also read our previously posted reviews of Rudy Chandra, Jeanny Ang Couture, and Kraton by Auguste Soesastro.

Please do not reproduce any images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Indonesia Fashion Week 2013 – Rudy Chandra

Parisian chic with Indonesian twist. Perhaps that’s the perfect words to describes the latest collection from Rudy Chandra, that was presented last Thursday during Indonesia Fashion Week 2013, at Jakarta Convention Center.

The designer used lots of chiffon crepe, silk satin, jacquard, gabardine, batik from Pekalongan, and combined it with 40s and 50s silhouettes, such as A-line skirts and dresses + chic details like gloves and playful ponytails. Peplum accents, pipe trousers, and pencil skirts were also shown quite oftenly in the collection. He completed the looks with ropes embroideries (symbolizing that women can be soft, vulnerable yet strong and powerful at the same time), to make it even more distinctive.

With the use of bronze, champagne, brown, and black as the main color palettes (with few looks in blue), Rudy Chandra managed to created a glamour, elegant, yet feminine collection, as intended.

Browse through the gallery in our Facebook fanpage to see the complete runway images from the fashion show. You can also read our previously posted reviews of Jeanny Ang Couture and Kraton by Auguste Soesastro.

Please do not reproduce any images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Indonesia Fashion Week 2013 – Jeanny Ang Couture

Sugary, sweet, and princess-y are the terms associated with Jeanny Ang Couture‘s latest collection that was presented during the first day of Indonesia Fashion Week 2013, last Thursday, February 14th at Jakarta Convention Center.

The theme for her Spring Summer 2013 collection was “Blossoms”, in which she incorporates the bright flower colors (pink, yellow, turquoise, mint green and peach) with feminine fabrics (tulle, chiffon and some lace), and also even more feminine shapes (ruffles, minis, draping, flowing dresses and more ruffles). Some of the combinations worked, but some doesn’t.

When the palettes were more than three different colors, or the dress’ shape got too much ruffles on it, it goes from pretty princess to prom queen instantly. But nevertheless, most of the dresses fits the theme perfectly. Some of our favourites are the weaved-like mini dress on Marcella Tanaya, and the closing dress that Christina Borries worn on the second sequence of the fashion show (both pictured below).

Because the show was supported by the famous hair product Pantene, two of the brand’s current ambassadress actress/host Nirina Zubir and singer Rossa (pictured below) made a special appearance on the runway, which surprised lots of people and gained applaud from the excited guests. You can enjoy the complete runway images from the fashion show on our Facebook fanpage, here.

Please do not reproduce any images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Indonesia Fashion Week 2013 – Kraton by Auguste Soesastro

The first time we knew about Auguste Soesastro was almost two years ago, back in November 2011 when he participated in Dewi Fashion Knights. He presented a clean collection with earthy tones (click here to see the runway images). And now, the soft spoken Jakarta-born fashion designer once again presented a clean and sharp collection during the first day of Indonesia Fashion Week 2013, on Thursday, February 14th at Jakarta Convention Center.

The designer who graduated from Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, Paris combined his signature sleek cutting with the exquisite weave fabrics from Ayotupas area, western part of East Timor, as a cropped top or shawl. His runway girls (top models Julia Jamil opened and Laura Muljadi closed) were sporting dark blue lips and side-swept hair which completed the moody and dark ambience from the fashion show. The dresses towards the end of the show comes in mono colors (red, fuschia or grey) with loose and relaxed shapes.

These Fall Winter 2013 collection from the Kraton label (Kraton means palace in Javanese word), has established his name as one of Indonesia’s brightest young fashion designers. Check out the complete runway looks in our Facebook fanpage, here.

Please do not reproduce any images without permission. All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Vogue Italia 2012 Covers Recap

If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. That’s how we put the collaboration between photographer Steven Meisel and Vogue Italia that has been going strong for more than 20 years and still counting.

Sometimes they created magic on the covers (i.e the April issue with models Aaron Vernon, Chrystal Copland, Ethan James, Lyle Lodwick, Thairine Garcia and Sojourner Morell; September issue with Carolyn Murphy, and December with Vanessa Axente and Marlon Teixeira), sometimes they created something that’s so dull even though they tapped a great cover star (we are looking at you Mrs. Isabella Rossellini). And they certainly really knows how to liven up the hype, as the current IT model Kate Upton landed one of the most coveted cover slots in the world of fashion publication.

Vogue Italia combined top famous names in modeling industry with the rising newbies as their 2012 cover girls. They mixed runway regulars and veterans Caroline Trentini, Daria Strokous, Joan Smalls, Linda Evangelista, Jamie Bochert, Meghan Collison with promising new crop of girls such as Laura Kampman, Mackenzie Drazan, and Vanessa Axente (she got the honor to be featured twice last year!).

Vogue Italia always came up with something different from the other Vogue editions, and we respect that. Especially the minimalist text on the cover. Franca Sozzani already made history this year as she chose Fei Fei Sun as the magazine’s first ever Asian cover girl! We are looking forward to see what Franca will bring in 2013.

Read our recap of the magazine’s 2011 line up, here and 2010 line up, here. Don’t forget to share which cover is your favourite from Vogue Italia in the comment box below.

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