Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week 2015: Day 1 & 2

Brands played it safe on the first two days of PIFW. Show coverage and short review from Sebastian Red, Halston Heritage, Les (Art)Ists, (X)S.M.L and Adidas Originals.

In a blink of an eye, Fashion Week has descended upon us. Again. But, unlike Fashion Week from other major cities, the ones in Jakarta don’t seem to mind showing Spring/Summer collections in February, when it really supposed to be Fall/Winter.

Few years back, fashion devotees in Jakarta might have raised their haughty chins at the thought of the latter. However, fast forward to present day, it didn’t seem such a bad idea at all. You see it on the runway and you get to get hold of them right away without having to wait for another six months, while fast fashion labels have already churned out similar pieces, faster and cheaper, in a matter of weeks.






And so expecting to see the future of fashion in Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week (PIFW) is pretty much a long shot. After all, Plaza Indonesia is, first and foremost, a high-end mall. A mall is ruled by the activity of shopping. And when it comes to shopping, customers are the kings and queens. So it is no surprise then, that on the first two days of PIFW, brands focused on pieces that would appeal to their respective markets and, hopefully, give them a reason to fish out their fat wallets.

Designers of Sebastian Red, Sebastian Gunawan and Cristina Panarese, definitely understood what their loyal customers want. They want clothes that would allow them to be the centre of attention and elevate their status above the circle of socialite frenemies. Most of the dresses are richly ornamented with details that popped out right in front of your eyes, like holographic shiny crystals and attention grabbing ming vase silhouette.

For the younger audience, there are also beautifully cut black dresses with gilded flower details that promised more movement and fun. Still, the collection teetered on the brink of the wardrobe of an evil stepmother. But who are we to judge if that’s the look she’s going for?

It’s hard for the current generation to be aware of Roy Halston achievement in the 70s where he dresses icons like Anjelica Huston and Bianca Jagger with his equally iconic dresses that are charged with disco glamour.

On day 2, one can still find traces of Halston in the collection of Halston Heritage, as seen in sexy dresses that flow fluidly on the body. But the most jarring sentiment was how confused the collection is. It seemed as if the woman of Halston Heritage is unsure whether she wants to be taken seriously or not.

One moment she is dressed in white suits and the next thing you know, she is showing off her thigh and side boobs. It’s the kind of friend that calls you in the middle of the night asking if she should follow her first date home after dinner but, at the same time, worried her dignity is at risk if she were to accept the offer.

The next show, entitled Urban Explosion, featured three labels – Les (Art)Ists, (X)S.M.L and Adidas Originals. While these three labels are markedly different, they have one thing in common: the young spenders.

So what better way to show that one is young, vital and not part of the broken hip group other than to bust some dance moves? Models danced down the runway in t-shirts, sweaters, shorts and mismatched sneakers entrenched in the street style codes. To some, it is silly. But to give them the benefit of the doubt, they are merely appealing themselves to their own customers (and for a few likes on Instagram).

Sebastianred by Sebastian Gunawan . Photograph by Liandro N. I. Siringoringo

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