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Dressmakers busy filling Idul Fitri orders
BUSINESS IS GOOD: A seamstress works on a dress outside of her stall at Mayestik market in South Jakarta in this undated file photo
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BUSINESS IS GOOD: A seamstress works on a dress outside of her stall at Mayestik market in South Jakarta in this undated file photo. (JP/Triwik Kurniasari)
For many Indonesians, Idul Fitri is associated with new and special clothes.
Even though the celebration is still seven weeks away, many Muslims in the city have begun shopping for fabrics and having them sewn into dresses, suits, shirts or Indonesian Muslim men's attire, baju koko.
Tailors, dressmakers and designers in the city have been receiving a plethora of orders from their regular customers.
Artaty from a popular Muslim fashion boutique, Mumtaaz, said she had received many orders from her customers months before.
"Idul Fitri is our peak season. We have three times more the orders than on ordinary days," Taty told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
"We usually send short message services (SMS) to our customers three months in advance to inform them of our Idul Fitri collections.
"We also hold a special fashion show in our boutique in Pejompongan (in Central Jakarta) displaying the latest Muslim fashions from our designers. This year, we held the event in June," she said.
Mumtaaz, which opened in Sept. of 2005, accommodates the creations of 20 designers, including Anne Rufaidah (head of Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers for the Islamic fashion division), Amy Atmanto, Jenny Tjahyawati, Merry Pramono and Nuniek Mawardi.
Taty said most customers come to Mumtaaz so they could choose dresses they liked and then have them fitted, if necessary.
"If the dress is too big, we will have the designer alter it. It will be ready in about four days," she said.
"Several customers, however, prefer to have exclusive outfits made by our designers. We help the customers choose the perfect designs and they will be ready in about two weeks.
"About three weeks before Idul Fitri we stop taking orders because many of our employees go on vacation in preparation for Idul Fitri. We still, however, accept items which only need altering or mending," she said.
Ramli, a prominent local designer, said his orders doubled in preparation for Idul Fitri.
"The orders vary from baju koko for men, to dresses and mukena (head-to-toe cloak) for women," Ramli said, who is famous for his embroidered designs.
"On an ordinary day, my female customers usually only want outfits only for themselves. But before Idul Fitri, they order for their husbands and children as well.
"I can make a Muslim dress in about five days, but an outfit requiring many sequins or elaborate embroidery may take more than that," he said, adding he usually stops receiving orders a week before Idul Fitri.
Ramli said batik remained a favorite choice for his customers.
"I offer batik from seven provinces, such as Bengkulu, Betawi, Madura (in East Java) and Cirebon (in West Java).
"I do not use animal figures in my designs for my Muslim customers because they are not allowed to wear those motifs," he said.
He said he would participate in an Islamic fashion show to be held by the Association of West Java Muslim Designers on Sept. 10.
Meanwhile, for people who want less expensive clothes, tailors and dressmakers in Sunan Giri market in Rawamangun, East Jakarta, or Mayestik market in South Jakarta are ready to serve them.
Nani, a dressmaker in Sunan Giri market, said she had received many orders for men's batik shirts.
"Batik is very popular now. As Ramadan (the month of fasting) draws nearer, I receive orders for about 10 kodis (200 pieces) of batik shirts per day, while I usually receive less than that.
"During the high season, I prefer to stop taking orders at the beginning of Ramadan," she said.
A dressmaker in Mayestik market, Iwan, said his orders had increased substantially.
"I usually receive about 15 dress orders a day, while for Idul Fitri I will have 25 to 30 requests per day," Iwan said.
"Many customers order blouses of batik, which has become the most sought-after motif today," he said, adding that he charges Rp 100,000 (US$10) per outfit.
"I can finish an outfit in a week. If my customers want express service, I will not charge more."
Rianti, a resident of Cilandak, South Jakarta, said she often had her Idul Fitri dresses sewn in Mayestik.
"It's traditional for me and my family to have new clothes for Idul Fitri. I usually have them made by a dressmaker in Mayestik because the quality is good and it's affordable," she said.
