T

he sky is the limit for fashion designers at Kenzo, as they persevere through the crisis-ridden world with their new summer collection.

The Kenzo fashion show, which was held in conjunction with the opening of their boutique in Plaza Indonesia, showcased Antonio Marras' 2009 spring and summer collection "In Memory of a Summer Day". The designer based his collection on the story of Alice in Wonderland and this is reflected in the collections combination of classic and present styles with soft, pastel red, white, yellow, sky blue, grey and green tones.

Alice's adventures, which include run-ins with talking animals and surrealistic plants in a bright garden, are conveyed in the fine, floralpatterned strapless minidress with tulle draperies on the back, reminiscent of the White Rabbit. Marras incorporates other natural elements in the collection. Iris, lilies and other floral patterns, as well as details like pleats, draperies and embroidery decorate the 20 sets of casual and cocktail dresses made from chiffon, Chinese crepe, linen and tulle.

Not limited to floral patterns, the collection also features dark green and brown mini dresses, with optical patterns that resemble a tie-dye effect. In the men's wears, for example, a shirt with a white on white pattern creates an interesting effect.

Kenzo's bucketshaped Pagadon bag, with the signature keyhole, complements the dresses. Marras presents the bag in several colors including soft pink, black and dark brown, available in either plain colors or in floral patterns.

Shierla Natawijaya, director of PT Primavera Internasional, explains that the boutique has three lines: Defile, featuring Antonio Marras's artistic collection; Kenzo, a range of business wear, and the Capsule collection, for the young and casual look.

"I try to bring in a collection that has added value to the customers. The market in Indonesia has a penchant for affordable feminine dresses. Therefore, the most expensive dress we have here are Rp 30 million," Shierla said.

She said her company targets fashion lovers who respect fashion, not just as clothing but more as a celebration of the art of living.

Women's ware accounts for 70 percent of the spring and summer collection, but in the future, the Kenzo boutique hopes to increase the amount of men's wear by 10 percent.

Previously, Kenzo was managed by Great River and was better known for its line of menswear. Managing Director of the Jakarta Kenzo Boutique, Hengky Wijaya, said that PT Primavera Internasional negotiated with Kenzo for two years before the store was opened. Before managing Kenzo, the company held licenses to manage Sinequanone and Axara.

"We have planned to open this boutique for a long time. The economic condition may not be rosy right now, but we think this collection can brighten up the fashion world in Indonesia," Hengky said.

"Indonesians know fashion and travel to lots of countries. According to the information we get, Indonesia buyers comprise a signifi -cant number of people shopping at Kenzo in Singapore and Hong Kong. Therefore, why don't we provide the brand here? We have to be competitive in price."

Established by Japanese designer Kenzo Takada, Kenzo is part of the Louis Vuitton-Moet Henessy group. Although the brand is developed in Paris, there are subtle Japanese traces in the designs.