Featured Article: Biyan Spring Summer 2014

Four huge “Garudas” placed strategically and majestically at the beginning of the runway, as a hint that for his latest collection, Biyan Wanaatmadja is taking inspiration from his homeland, Indonesia.

He used authentic Indonesian traditional textile and craft (batik, songket, tikar and basketry), as prints on light silk. He twisted the keraton inspired coats and jackets by adding his signature glamour touch in the use of intricate embroideries, beads and embellishments, which exudes the refined sophistication feeling. Some kebayas were modified in different silhouettes and volume, not to mentioned sarong inspired skirts. The juxtaposition between masculine and feminine were inevitable as some lace dresses were paired with cigarette pants. The use of delicate lace were interesting yet refreshing because Biyan usually used organza, tafetta, and tulle (which also appeared this time). Loose shapes is back on the runway, along with the effortless billowy sleeves.

Biyan doesn’t need bright and bold colors to celebrate his 30 radiant years in fashion. He mostly used down to earth and muted colors such as washed white, taupe grey, sogan brown, pumpkin brown and dusty pastels (chalk blue, celadon, peach, lilac tint, pale khaki). Even the lighting was sephia to make it more intimate yet serene. He also presented the ever lasting black and elegant midnight blue on the runway of his fashion show at Hotel Mulia Senayan on Wednesday, June 05th 2013.

Young model Hege Martine Wollan landed the honor to opened the show, while Paula Verhoeven closed. Some Indonesian runway veteran such as Laura Basuki, Izabel Jahja, and Wiwied also walked the show that night sporting similar neutral make up with sequined lids and sleek chignon like other models. He even casted supermodel Fahrani Pawaka Empel! What a lovely surprise for the excited guests.

“The Radiance Postcard” suits perfectly as the collection’s name because it reflects his creativity journey for the past three decades. He translated his memories diversity to this elegant yet modern collection with traditional twist. We are wishing Biyan all the very best for his upcoming collections and we are looking forward to see these dresses, coats and jackets on the displays of Bergdorf Goodman, Blake, Joyce, Club 21, Saks Fifth Avenue Dubai, and of course Net-A-Porter.

Read our review of his last year’s collection “Foliage” here, and click here to view MORE runway images of “The Radiance Postcard“.

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All images are courtesy of art8amby.

Featured Article: Club Dahlia by Sebastian Gunawan

One of Indonesia’s most respected fashion designers, Sebastian Gunawan, just presented his 2013 collection at the ballroom of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta (one of the regular venues for major fashion shows), on Tuesday, October 16th 2012.

The 45 year old named his latest collection Club Dahlia, and he translated his inspiration–an all female club in Florida, Club Dahlia–in ladylike and feminine shapes such as peplums, sleeveless dresses, ballgown skirt, cropped capes and jacket, billowy sleeves and 2012 biggest trend, pants over dress (in this case, the pants shown over a peplum dress that kinda similar to Raf Simons‘ first collection for Dior Haute Couture, and it’s very chic!).

Sebastian Gunawan infused his signature glamour touch in those fabulous shapes. You can see he used lots of marabou feathers, sequins, beads, flowers appliqué, and rich textured fabrics such as lamé, jacquard, satin, lace, tulle and brocade for his latest collection. He keeps the accessories minimal, only ankle strap wedges and heels, crystal adorned mesh headpiece/veil, and braided chignon. He let the dresses speaks for itself.

The color palette was opulently rich. Seba–the designer’s nickname–divided it in few sequences such as “This Innocence Is Brilliance“, “The Beauty of Interaction“, and “Rendition of Collision” in which he shown the lavish collection in yellow, teal, gold, dusty pink, baby blue, red, black and white respectively to the excited attendees.

As top catwalker Katya Talanova opened the show in an embellished trench coat and mesh veiled headpiece, you can sense that Seba will not go far from his signature style. There’s definitely something for every Indonesian fashionista which they can choose from the 95 looks he showcased. He also presented six gorgeous lace, tulle, shantung and duchess silk wedding gowns in the finale.

The collection will pleased his regular customers and fashion editors, as we are sure that it will fly out of the shelves and hit the editorials and his customers’ closet, very soon.

Check out the full runway images on our Facebook fanpage, here. We’d also like to give a special thank you notes to Vero Arfiana of Harper’s Bazaar Indonesia 🙂

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Featured Article: Claire de Lune by Didi Budiarjo

Didi Budiarjo presented 50 looks for his latest fashion show entitled “Claire de Lune” recently at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Mulia Senayan, Jakarta.

The senior fashion designer whose graduated from Lembaga Pengajaran Tata Busana Susan Budihardjo in 1989, mentioned in his press release that the essence of Javanese culture inspired this 2012-2013 collection by the subtle use of wiron, dodot, beskap and stagen. The glamour collection was divided into five primary color: white–which opened the first sequence, black, gold, blue and red.

The fashion show made history as the first Indonesian fashion show that streamed live through the whole world via http://www.wolipop.com and received an award from Indonesian World-Record Museum.

The 42 year-old Javanese-born designer also gave surprises in the model casting. The controversial actress and model Luna Maya, model turned actress Laura Basuki, former Miss Indonesia Universe Nadine Chandrawinata, and Indonesia’s supermodels Fahrani Empel, Karenina Anderson and Jenny Chang, who’s returning on the catwalk, made appearances on the fashion show along with some of the nation’s foremost model names: Marcella Tanaya, Kimmy Jayanti, Dominique Agisca Diyose, Kelly Tandiono, Christina Borries, Katya Talanova, Julia Jamil and Drina Ciputra.

We posted the complete runway images on our Facebook fanpage, so your eyes can feast through those gorgeous strapless dresses with zipper details, embellished minis, lovely feather cape, body hugging dresses with crystals, amazing headpieces and accessories by Rinaldy A. Yunardi and more dresses with his signature frills, drapes and pleats.

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All images courtesy of art8amby.