(JP/Prodita Sabarini)

Breaking through the mold of sequined tunics and abaya, fashion brand Up2date has stormed the Indonesian market with comfortable pieces using fabric that was once unthinkable for Islamic fashion wear: cotton spandex.

Since the opening of their first store in Bandung two years ago, the brand has aggressively expanded, with 17 stores across Indonesia and sales representatives in Dubai and Tehran.

Introducing a mix and match concept by providing colorful clothing pieces with fashionable cuts using comfortable fabric, the fashion label makes it possible for Muslim women opting to cover up according to religious teachings in their own personal style.

"Women who have decided to wear a jilbab (headscarf) of course do not want to lose their character in the way they dress," Up2date manager Tia said Wednesday.

"Often, the desire to wear jilbab has always been there but there is no Islamic wear that suits their character, making them indecisive about wearing the jilbab. By giving women the option to mix and match clothes made from comfortable fabric, they can adjust the clothes to their own style."

The popularity and acceptance of the jilbab began to surge in the late 1990s, triggering the development of Islamic fashion in Indonesia. With the majority of the population adhering to Islam, Indonesia has a huge potential market.

In Indonesia, except in the province of Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, most adults wearing the jilbab do so based on personal choice.

Islamic wear in Indonesia has always been colorful and rich in appliqu*s such as embroidery and sequins. However, the designs are usually a two or three piece set, using heavy fabrics.

Tia said Up2date wanted to change perceptions of Islamic wear. "We want to change the perception of Islamic fashion from being heavy to being light."

The design team -- Rani, Rini, Fetik and Lia -- outsmart the characteristics of cotton spandex, which was usually avoided due the fabric's tendency to show the body's curves, by adding volume in the chest part by applying pleats to form ripples and ribbing the waistline to make voluminous blousons.

Up2date held their first fashion show Wednesday in Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta, with the theme "Transconic", a compound from Transformation and Iconic.

"That represents a change in perception towards Islamic fashion and also we want to be the Icon of Islamic fashion," Tia said.

Their signature style, she said, was summarized by 3Cs: Chic, Comfort and Covered Up.

The fashion show exhibited 80 designs in four sequences -- Iconic, Urban, Nature Spirit and Mutation.

The Iconic sequence showed tunics with asymmetrical cuts. The colors were mostly different hues of purple with tinges of blue and yellow. A model walked in a long-sleeved blouson with a big cotton belt and a wide long A-line skirt. The headscarves were wrapped simply over the head, without showing any hint of hair.

In the Urban sequence, a model donning big black sunglasses wore a long white collared buttoned shirt and black wide flared pants. She wore a black bustier and light blue suspenders on top of the shirt, giving an edgy feel to it.

The clothes during the next sequence, Nature Spirit, were inspired by environmental issues. The color palettes were moss green, red and chocolate. Floral prints on sleeveless dresses worn on top of long-sleeved shirts were also on show.

Meanwhile, the designers in the Mutation sequence, showed a lot of stacking of clothes and fabric on models. They mixed a loose knee-length ribbed jersey dress on top of pencil trousers.

Capes were also introduced as well. Tia said capes were a good way to cover up the chest.

Up2Date will be opening a new store in Pondok Indah Mall next year. With a production capacity of 5,000 to 12,000 pieces per month, Tia Wigati said Up2Date were planning to open six new outlets in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

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