Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week 2015: Day 5

by Julius Kensan
30th March 2015
In search of identity. Show coverage and short review from Major Minor, Hunting Fields, Yosafat Dwi Kurniawan and Rinda Salmun.

The last day of Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week (PIFW) 2015 featured a handful of local labels that are no longer unfamiliar names in the industry. But if that’s the case, then why is it still so hard to pinpoint the key principles underlying those labels?

Major Minor sent out a collection that consisted of three mini collections. Confused yet? While the aesthetics of the three segments are distinct from one another, they shared a common similarity by focusing on the spirit of easy daywear. In the first part, fluid knitwear in bold colours and graphics took the spotlight. Next, came pieces rooted in colourful Bima (a city in island of Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara) textile. Then lastly, it ended with a segment filled with pieces in sporty mesh fabric.

No doubt there are women out there who enjoy fulfilling life that consists of leisure, work and sporty activities. But when viewed as a whole, the entire collection of Major Minor lacked impact and identity. By jumping from one aesthetic to the next, it has resulted in a collection that wrestled each other for attention.

Such conundrum also appeared on Hunting Fields collection. Designer Raiki Pasya sent out a collection based on the idea of precious stones. Jewel prints were applied generously onto tops, pants and dresses. The idea was also further reinforced with holographic crystals appliqué on crop top and accessories in the shape of tetrahedron.

Then, as if running out of idea or lack of commitment, Pasya sent out clean, minimalist looks that zeroed in on details, such as pleats and ruffles. It seemed that even Pasya himself is worried that the bold jewel prints will end up looking extremely outdated in a matter of seasons.

Yosafat Dwi Kurniawan’s rock n’ roll, badass girl collection is, fortunately, consistent. One can’t help but think that Rihanna will definitely dig those pieces if only she’s still back in her “Rated R” phase. The collection consisted of pieces one would pull together in order to look like a tough girl on the street – ripped leggings, black leather jackets, black denim jeans.

The woman of Yosafat Dwi Kurniawan may want to look like a tough street cats, but she definitely doesn’t want to look piss poor. And that is solved by injecting pieces like black blazer jacket with metal detailing on the sleeves. But one still gets the feeling that these women aren’t actually really that tough. They just want you to think that they are.

Rinda Salmun’s collection displayed the importance of being committed to one’s vision. In her collection, entitled Elevation, Salmun’s Fine Arts background manifested in gripping, eccentric and offbeat pieces that are wearable at the same time too.

Using wearable art as her anchor point, Salmun sent out tomboyish girls with rebellious streaks clothed in pieces that reflected her focal inspiration – topographic map. The undulating contour lines can be found on pink leather vest jacket or stacked together to cover the shoulders. Her sense of humour is also reflected in coats appliquéd liberally with abstract topography shapes that reminds one of patches found on a poor man’s wardrobe.

After watching the collection of Major Minor, Hunting Fields and Yosafat Dwi Kurniawan, it is obvious that these three labels are capable of churning out beautiful pieces. But the trouble lies in the lack of identity. The designers from these labels seemed to be satisfied with jumping from one current trend to another without establishing distinct codes on their own.

Rinda Salmun showed that exploration of ideas would bear sweet reward once the designer understood and committed to his/her own vision for the label. And that sort of “investment” is definitely far more practical and valuable in the long run.