Jakarta Fashion Week 2016: TODJO by Sapto Djojokartiko, Albert Yanuar, Peggy Hartanto

by Julius Kensan
30th October 2015
Who understands woman better? Is it male designer or female designer? Show coverage and reviews of Todjo, Albert Yanuar and Peggy Hartanto from Jakarta Fashion Week 2016.

Sometimes you could tell whether a collection is going to be a hit simply by observing the faces of guests seated around you. It’s pretty much like weather forecast, except it is much more reliable and efficient. After all, when it comes to fashion, these women simply know it when they see it.

Sapto Djojokartiko sent out a collection of relaxed separates made for daily hustle and bustle for his secondary line, Todjo. The predominantly Majorelle blue collection also tipped its hat towards the 70s with looks like louche long sleeve jacket belted with sash and paired with chic flare pants.

Halfway through the show, a girl on the front row turned to her friend and suggested she would look great in a particular outfit. Then both of them locked the gaze intently on the dress as if they’d just spotted a prey. However, as much as the collection was sexy and desirable, there’s this nagging feeling that these women would probably rather grab an identical look in one of fast fashion chains at half the price.

There is no lack of beautiful dresses in Albert Yanuar’s collection. Each look came in pure white with lines and motifs that were inspired by the wings of a butterfly. Not much discussion went on among the guests but the collection was certainly “instagrammable” as these women fished out their smartphones for a few shots.

But the collection never quite hit the spot. It’s like listening to a ten-minute song that lacked a memorable crescendo.

The moment the first model walked out in Peggy Hartanto’s S/S 16 collection, almost every female guests sat up, eyes widened and visibly excited. Titled “Fin”, the sensual white sleeveless top and skirt in the first look with extra flaps protruding at the side, served as an exciting prologue for the collection. Equally seductive are the scarlet red sleeveless flare dress and a figure-hugging dress with pleats that curve from the bosom to waist.

The use of colour, even blue, in this collection was also intense and sensual. It reminded one of the fantastic creatures of the sea, where they employ striking colours as a signal to warn predators that they are lethal and not to be taken lightly. That semiotic was also successfully translated to the collection. Though these women are beautiful to look at, they also mean business.

The best part of all is that Peggy managed to instill a sense of weightlessness with this collection. Each look glided by smoothly – one would instantly thought of the graceful movement of Manta Rays, as they gently slice across the vast ocean.

For years, the question of who is the better designer surfaces now and then. Is it man or is it woman? Of course, it is silly to simplify a collection based on the gender of the designer. Both Sapto and Albert successfully put forward a strong and confident collection. Still, there is this inescapable feeling that out of the three, Peggy seems to understand better the need and want of the woman she dresses. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what women really yearn for? That desire to be understood.