Courtesy of LaSalle College
The decade of the 1920s marked a period where hope was the buzzword in the United States and parts of Europe.
One of the world's most devastating tragedies, World War I, was at an end and people were rebuilding their lives.
It was time when women - and men - ditched bulky clothing and opted for more practical wear. It was a time when the hemlines of skirts rose to the knee and above. It was the time of emancipation for women and anticipation for all. It was party time.
This mood was what 10 students from LaSalle College tried to evoke in the first public showing of their creations, with the theme developed around the color red, a slip of the tongue from the famous French song "La vie en rose" to "La vie en rouge". Using fabric provided by the school, students poured their 21st century imaginations into the design and sewing of their creations.
Bird feathers and glitter seemed to be an integral part of the dramatically styled gowns.
"Feather were used a lot at that time so I used them for the accessories," one of the 10, Iranidya Pratama, said of her knee-length pink dress that had lots of lace at the top and a pleated skirt falling in folds.
"My concept was flapper-style, in the past people wore mini pins with sleek hairstyles. I tried to appreciate what the 1920s were like in Western countries by browsing the Internet. I watched La Vie en Rose to get to know the theme of this event," she said after the show.
Another student opted for layers on the knee-length skirt with lots of bright stones to accessorize, while others combined short skirts at the front with a longer length at the back. One, with a vivid imagination, translated the theme into a kimono-style short dress with a long outer layer; yet another put roses throughout the dress - in line with the Valentine's Day show. Although dramatic, the dresses can easily be worn at parties.
The makeup and hairstyles, however, were only for very daring partygoers. Voluminous locks were left loose or curled into big loops for a dramatic cute-princess-gone-bad style. The makeup was dramatic and playful, with one face - an oval of light brown shading on dark skin - reminding people of Mickey Mouse.
"I am just so happy that I did it, and it is such a relief now it is over. It certainly boosted my confidence," Jenny Sudianto, another student, said.
The show was undoubtedly a big night for the students as well as for the wannabe photographers.
The director of the school, Mario Poulin, said the experience in the public eye was a first for the students, and it would be good for their portfolios. However, only a small number of the school's 250 students had the opportunity to participate.
The school expects the financial crisis will mean more students will decide to pursue their studies in the country rather than go abroad.
The list of participating students:
Valien Wibowo
Iranidya Pratama
Virti Mulani
Kelly Raharja
Syarifah Ramazan
Yenny Mulia
Jenny Sudianto
Shanas Nadia
Preety Sadwani
