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OBIN PLAYS WITH THE PULSE OF JAKARTA
JP/DonIn the hands of noted designer Josephine âObinâ Werratie Komara, batik and kebaya will never be boring
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JP/Don
In the hands of noted designer Josephine 'Obin' Werratie Komara, batik and kebaya will never be boring.
Under Bin House, Obin injects youthful and funky spirit into the latest collection, called 'Jakarta Beat', showcased at the Jakarta Fashion Week 2016.
'The collection is like the pulse of Jakarta, a capital city that is very vibrant,' said Airlangga Sjah Komara, Obin's son who is also Bin House's design team member.
On the runway, models danced to upbeat tunes while presenting the collection.
First up were models strutting down the runway donning bright-colored street wear that highlighted the casual side of a fun city life.
A model appeared in a green wig and wearing a green jumpsuit featuring geometrical batik patterns with a kutu baru kebaya blouse while another model in a bright pink wig showcased an asymmetrical yellow batik dress paired with black sneakers.
Bin House also offered modifications of long batik cloth that can be worn daily paired with sleeveless kutu baru.
'This show is not just about batik. We also want to showcase ways to style batik, combining it with other elements in an up-to-date way,' Airlangga said.
'We also want to confirm that wearing lots of color in one look is fine and can look good, too.'
In the next sequence, more masculine styles were presented, with long-sleeve tops and pants dominating the collection.
Bin House experimented with various styles of tops, starting from a plain white shirt, the female-version of surjan (Javanese men's long-sleeved shirt), to the Chinese kung fu shirt.
Cargo pants, jeans and loose batik pants were matched with the tops that came in more neutral shades.
To maintain the femininity, the models' hair was decorated with jasmine, which is usually used to style brides in a traditional wedding ceremony.
'The second set of clothes is very masculine, but we're trying to also bring the feminine side forward,' Airlangga said.
After playing with colors, Obin and her team presented the elegance of black-and-white designs.
A midi dress, a halter-neck jumpsuit with batik motifs that decorated some parts of the outfit, a sleeveless top with embroidery detailing the edge and pallazzo pants that featured small batik patterns were highlights of this collection.
Despite the domination of monochromatic designs, the fun of the show continued as the models danced and presented the creations barefooted, accompanied by the sounds produced by Jakarta Beatbox.
The last sequence of the show was more relaxed, showcasing the gracefulness of modern kebaya.
Red, gray, white and night blue tops paired with long cloth and shawls reminded the audience of the beauty of Indonesian culture.
'Keeping tradition does not mean that we have to be traditional. Kebaya has become global, but no matter how modern our designs are, we always have that cultural touch in it,' Airlangga said.
He said that the modern feel in the whole collection was not only born from the hands of the designers but also came from batik artisans.
'The young feeling in the collection was the fruit of our collaboration with the batik makers,' he said.
