Text and photo: Ifan F. Harijanto
Translated by: Beta D. Adiwidjaja
Jakarta – Indonesia fashion world is actually richer with a mixing of ethnic and modern design which resulting in an interesting contemporary work. It can be seen at the Indonesia Fashion Week 2012. Experienced Indonesian designers come together with fast developing young designers.
Indonesia Fashion Week 2012 is officially opened on Thursday (2/23) by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa at Plenary Hall Jakarta Convention Center. Also attending the opening ceremony are Minister of Industry M.S. Hidayat, Minister of Trade Gita Wiryawan, Minister of Cooperative Small and Medium Enterprises Syarif Hasan, Vice Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sapta Nirwanda and representative from Assembly of Regional Representatives Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas, and also attended by Indonesian fashion designers and observers.
In his speech, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa reacted positively and fully supports the organizing of Indonesia Fashion Week. He also emphasizing that the connection between artisans and the industry world have to be bridged by designer, because designer can reprocess an art work and craftwork and making it having a higher sale value. But it also needs to be reminded that a designer still have to uphold its humanity value rather than its economic value, so that artisans does not feel depressed by the productions wanted by designers but with unworthy compensation.
Meanwhile, Minister of Industry M.S. Hidayat will try to make way as wide as possible for creative industry activists, especially in fashion, to get a market abroad or domestic, and also try to give third parties loan to designers or crafts industries which all this time found it difficult to obtain a venture capital.
369 local labels are selected by IFW committee to participate in Indonesia Fashion Week 2012 and take place at 3 area of Jakarta Convention Center: Main Lobby, Assembly Hall, and Cendrawasih. While the fashion show take place at Plenary Hall. The event will be held from February 23 – February 26, 2012, and consist of a number of activities, among them are fashion show, trade show, seminar, and competition that will bring the world’s fashion industry.
Indonesia Fashion Week 2012 which is improvised by APPMI (Asosiasi Perancang Pengusaha Mode Indonesia/Indonesia Fashion Designer Entrepreneur Association) in cooperation with PT. Aktivasi Communication Terpadu as a part of KOMPAS Gramedia group is opening ways for Indonesian fashion person to penetrate the global market starting from designers, retailers until buyers. In its release, IFW wants to educate fashion doers to focus to the competitive quality standard in addition to paying attention to the artistic value.
This is the first Indonesia Fashion Week and it is APPMI’s ambition since 1995. It is finally realized thanks to the supports from government through the Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, and Ministry of Cooperative Small and Medium Enterprises. The government’s involvement in organizing this kind of event is very needed, considering Indonesia’s potential is not just depending on its natural resources, but also creations and creativities, and it also should get serious attention, because creativity can be an asset for Indonesia in order to penetrate the world’s market. The variety of Indonesia’s culture and arts is definitely become an added value for designers, so they can be more creative in their works by combining a number of local culture element which spreads throughout Indonesia.
