N

ina Karina Nikicio is one of the young and talented fashion designers who pop up each year, making bold statements in the Indonesian fashion industry.

She recently introduced her women's wear Spring/Summer 2010 collection called Nikicio Femme.

The designer has shown the house can offer a feminine side despite the androgynous line that has characterized it since Nikicio was established in 2006.

Nina broke her own boundaries by offering softer fabrics and embellishments and constructing drapes.

Her solo fashion show, held at clothing store Tribute in Dharmawangsa, South Jakarta, began with a number of models clad in black outfits with stockings, tank-tops and satin cloths resembling sarongs.

It was a non-formal show as there was no built-in runway. Fashion lovers who attended the event stood along the "catwalk" so they could look at the collection at close range.

The models then stood and faced the audience. Not long after, Nina, sporting a white sleeveless top and black sarong, appeared on the "runway".

She approached each model, untying the sarongs wound around the models' figures, turning it into different styles.

For instance, she took off a black sarong wrapped around a model's waist and twisted it around the model's neck, creating a halter-neck dress.

Fashionistas in the room softly whispered to their friends nodding their heads every time Nina created a different sarong-style for each model.

They did not take their eyes off the creations.

They gave a long applause as the designer finished dressing the models.

The black satin or silk cloth was inspired by the Balinese sarong, said Nina after the show. "I wanted to introduce drama and surprise to the collection. I want people to invest in one thing and create something special out of it," she said.

"One sarong can be modified into about 25 styles. I want to challenge people's creativity," she said, adding that she also provided videos for style guidance.

The sarong presentation was only a warm-up. The real fashion show started as slow music filled the room.

The models strutted slowly so the audience could gaze at each detail of the outfits.

A full combination of soft fabrics and tailoring is the main challenge for the 24-year-old designer.

Satin trench coats and soft, see-through cotton turned into shift dresses with embroidery patterns.

The collection was inspired by Japanese and Balinese culture.

A Japanese feel was seen in a white blouse with beige skirt and obi combination.

The designer also brought in shift dresses with some of them made from Balinese fabrics.

Nina said that the idea of creating shift dresses came from her mother, saying that she wanted to show to youngsters they could be stylish and chic with this kind of dress, which was popularized by Jackie Onassis.

Take a gold shift dress with a gold hemline along the bottom of the dress, matched with a vest.

For those who want a simple yet elegant style may choose a blue knee-length shift dress or white-button chiffon dress.

Another option is a blue-draped dress layered with a blouse, made from a beautiful Balinese sarong.

Nina also uses sequins in her collection. A black shift dress, matched with a sequined jacket, gave a chic look, while a Balinese sarong paired with a white blouse and jacket with sequins, provided an interesting touch.

Besides sequins, Nina also applied fox furs (not the real ones!) to enrich and dramatize the look.

A fur cape, for instance, was matched with a dress, while a fur was worn on the shoulder over a black shift dress.

Even though it was dubbed the Spring/Summer collection, which used bright colors, black dominated the runway.

Nina, who graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore, in 2005, said she wanted to create everlasting pieces that could be worn by people for many different occasions.