Traditional Indonesian clothes get modernised

Written by Ilman Ramadhanu | Read in Indonesian

The emergence of a style is often influenced by the cultural landscape in which it originates from. The Parisian style that hinges on sophistication and craftsmanship is linked to the practice of couture that has existed in the city since the 1700s, while in London, the style is seen as more unconventional due to the city’s history as the birthplace of punk.

These cities possess a distinct style that represents the uniqueness of their respective history and traditions. Then, what about in Indonesia? As a nation with a myriad of historical and cultural backgrounds, how do traditions influence our style?

This is an idea that has been explored by numerous Indonesian fashion labels and designers. As apparent during Jakarta Fashion Week 2023 where Kraton, Jumpanona, Wilsen Willim, Sejauh Mata Memandang and others took inspiration from Indonesian traditional clothes and gave it a modern twist in the hope of creating a modern Indonesian style that seamlessly blends the past and future.

Bringing universal appeal to traditional Indonesian clothes

“There are two things that we want to do, modernising Indonesian traditional clothes and creating a new aesthetic for contemporary Indonesian fashion,” Auguste Soesastro, the designer behind Kraton, told TFR News.

This is something that has been the core mission of Kraton since the conception of the brand 15 years ago. In his process, he takes the elements of traditional Indonesian clothes and introduces them to contemporary fashion. What could be considered as contemporary differs between designers, but thanks to his couture background, for him it is all about immaculate craftsmanship and refined silhouette.

This is apparent in Kraton’s latest co-ed collection, “Evolution of Heritage Garment”, which is a lustrous mixture between the elegance of classic Western evening wear and the sophistication of Javanese ensemble.

In one of the looks, we see an exquisitely tailored high-neck peplum top paired with a fitted batik skirt. There is also an opera coat made out of painstaking patchwork of batik with a hemline made in such a way that it elegantly cascades down to the floor. A twist to the idea of classic men’s formal attire is also showcased by incorporating a sleek black beskap and blangkon into a tuxedo ensemble.

Courtesy of Kraton Auguste Soesastro/Jakarta Fashion Week

By approaching Indonesian traditional clothes through this perspective, Auguste believes that it can add a universal appeal to Indonesian culture. “When I first created Kraton I was thinking how Japanese people can wear kimono or how Indian people can wear kurta or sherwani everyday and still look fresh. Why can’t Indonesians be like that too? So I want to create contemporary clothes that still possess Indonesian culture but can be worn everywhere and by everyone,” he explained.

Translating Indonesian stories into one-of-a-kind pieces

Similar to this idea, bringing Indonesian culture and history to a global stage through fashion has always been the focus for Indonesian jeweller Rilya Krisnawati in building her accessory brand, Jumpanona. “My starting point for creating has always been Indonesia. I think our heritage is unique and it is an identity that should be introduced to the world,” she told TFR News.

Rilya takes inspiration from different regions in Indonesia. For her latest collection, she tells the story of how flowers are ever-present in Balinese culture, from serving as gifts for tourists to the inspiration behind engraving in temples. However, her main inspiration for the collection was images of 1930s Balinese women that she claims to have been adorned with flowers as accessories.

She translates this vision of past Balinese women into a string of modern earrings, hairpins and headgears sculpted realistically in the form of marigolds, frangipani, coffee leaves, brugmansia, hydrangea and lotus flowers. The choice of which accessories to include is as intentional as the inspiration behind it. “I studied the images of Balinese women from the 1930s and I talked to local artisans to get the full image of what they wore back then and things like subeng and hairpins were used a lot,” she explained.

Courtesy of Jumpanona/Jakarta Fashion Week

Historical stories like this are important for Rilya as it adds a certain level of depth into the accessories that she designs. “I want to instil a story in my design because when I bring my work to the international market, it has a soul, its own uniqueness and a value that cannot be found anywhere else.”

Not just about making modern clothes with traditional fabrics

The approach taken by both Auguste and Rilya when modernising Indonesian traditional clothes or accessories always start from understanding where the culture comes from.

“I try to research as much as I possibly can about the culture that I take inspiration from. Because then I could understand which part could be deconstructed and which part should be left alone,” Rilya explained.

This step is important to show a sign of respect as these cultures possess traditional values belonging to groups of people and therefore need to be treated with a certain level of sensitivity. When designing her accessories, Rilya usually takes inspiration from decorative elements that she feels are not too sacred.

“In batik, there is an element called isen-isen and it is a decorative element usually in the shape of leaves, animals and flowers. I try to interpret these shapes into my design as descriptively and authentically as I can, so I still capture the essence of it, and re-visualise it with something modern to create something new,” she continued.

While having cultural sensitivity is important, Auguste emphasises on the creative freedom that a designer should have. “As a designer, we have the choice to be a conservator or we want to take our culture somewhere else. For instance, there are people who have strict rules when it comes to making kebaya, but the look of kebaya itself has changed throughout the years since when it was first discovered in the 1500s. So it is just a matter of understanding how much you can stretch these elements from Indonesian traditional clothes.”

Creating new demands to preserve traditional techniques

To execute her designs, Rilya often uses old Indonesian traditional handwork techniques, such as brass work, filigree, or carving, which she claims local artisans have begun to neglect as they make more money doing something else.

This opens up an opportunity for Rilya to use her practice to prevent these traditional techniques from extinction. “I usually try to be aware of any trend in accessories and use these traditional techniques to make them. By doing so, I can make modern accessories with a silhouette that is reminiscent of traditional accessories. Not only that, but hopefully it will create new demand from consumers so that these techniques are not forgotten.”

By incorporating Indonesian traditional elements into their designs, both Auguste and Rilya envision that it can produce a desirable contemporary style that serves as a heritage identity which can organically empower and sustain the Indonesian fashion industry.

However, as Auguste explains, “It can’t be done alone; there needs to be other counterparts exploring this idea as well. From this same vision, perhaps a myriad of different aesthetics could be born. So it needs to be a movement.”