Earth Tribute

Fashion designer Auguste Soesastro offers a tribute to the earth and the environment in his latest collection, crafted to perfection.

The fashion and garment industry, mainly the manufacturing and waste management of synthetic products and chemical dyes are among the largest contributors to environment problem.

Auguste is certainly concerned about this issue, as evinced by his new collection made of environmentally friendly fabrics.

With fashion label Kraton Auguste Soesastro under his belt, the designer has long been known for his commitment to practicing eco-friendly methods.

Kraton – a Javanese word for palace which was established in New York in 2008 – immediately gained skyrocketing popularity in Indonesia as it specializes in high-end luxury garments that incorporate unique designs and fine materials.

In his line of work, Auguste collaborates with artisans in each of their special fields to ensure the highest quality possible. Kraton’s collaborators participate in fair trade, legally obtain raw materials, and are ecologically responsible and reject cruelty to animals.

For Auguste, design is about the finest quality materials and the highest level of craftsmanship.

Carrying the environmentally friendly theme for his Spring 2012 couture pre-collection, which was showcased at the Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) 2012 event, he continued his zest for couture.

Auguste, who obtained a degree in film and digital arts from the Australian National University, studied fashion at the prestigious Chambre Syndicale de la Couture in Paris to follow in the footsteps of its alma mater, like Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Issey Miyake, before doing an internship at some haute couture houses then moving to New York to work for couturier Ralph Rucci.

In a show titled “Restu Bumi” (Earth’s Blessing), he used natural fibers and undyed yarns, mostly sourced from certified eco-conscious mills.

Structured items were constructed with the aid of silk organza and horsehair interlinings and finished with silk linings without synthetics.

The delicate pineapple fiber was chosen for its supple quality, allowing it to transform into wearable items suitable for a warm climate.

Being formally trained in the art of couture, Auguste’s seemingly minimal work required absolute precision, clearly evident in the use of flat bias seaming, in which silk strips were integrated into the seams.

Among his shown items was a natural pineapple fiber and silk cubist dress paired with barrel-jack jacket with light khaki silk flat bias; and natural water hyacinth jacket and ivory pineapple fiber matched with silk gill pleated dress with nude silk underskirt.

Trousers also appeared on the runway teamed up with natural hand-woven striped pineapple fiber top and pagoda jacket as well as taupe silk raincoat and taupe linen contour cut top with rust flat silk bias.

In between light shades, Auguste inserted a classic black for a contrast yet grandeur feel. A black double-faced wool crepe hybrid jacket with silk trim, for instance, was paired with light taupe silk zibeline one seam bias tube dress with black flat silk bias.

Another item was a black and rust silk taffeta one seam cape, black silk double crepe de chine ‘hour-glass’ cut dress.

Through his collection, Auguste sends his message across while proving his superior sense of pattern-making and superb tailoring techniques.