As the lines between genders have blurred, many men also enjoy a keen interest in fashion.

While traditional fashion weeks still heavily lean toward womenswear, others that focus on menswear are popping up more and more across the world, including in Indonesia.

As one of the more established events showing menswear in Jakarta, the Plaza Indonesia Men’s Fashion Week (PIMFW) generally offers a mix of up-and-coming designers as well as international brands.

The ninth iteration of the PIMFW recently presented 19 designers with signature styles that run the gamut from traditional batik to neon streetwear.

Held ahead of National Batik Day on Oct. 2, the first day was dedicated to labels and designers that offer a modern take on the heritage textile.

Alleira Batik kicked off with a collection made in collaboration with Malaysian designer Michael Ong, featuring oversized silhouettes and sportswear elements in vibrant tones.

While the collection was wearable enough with its street-style influences, the showstopper was a dramatic, billowy-hooded jacket in bold red, styled with a glittery silver T-shirt and green shorts to enhance its sporty vibe.

‘Kaki lima’ denim: Designer Rama Dauhan injects humor into his collection of denim interpretation with a nod to Indonesia’s ubiquitous traditional roadside food stalls.

On the other end of the batik spectrum, Bateeq brought out traditional batik patterns like Mega Mendung in a ready-to-wear line inspired by Hasbro’s Transformers franchise, notably sending some models down the runway with masks reminiscent of Bumblebee.

Meanwhile, Parang Kencana went for a Spanish matador-like look, with crimson hues dominating and bold outerwear providing a key point to the collection.

While local brands still dominated the PIMFW, other international brands like Ted Baker, Canali and Marks & Spencer also showed their latest offerings. Most notable among these was Italian brand Diesel in its first Indonesian fashion show.

Meanwhile, Patrick Owen showcased his Fall/Winter 2018 collection, “RE:mata”, designed in collaboration with street artist Darbotz.

The collection, which was first shown during March’s Amazon Fashion Week Tokyo, offers the kind of clothes that wouldn’t look out of place in Tokyo’s Harajuku district, with effervescent yellow and blue coexisting in harmony with neutral greys.

One highlight of Patrick’s collection was a below-the-knee red number that resembled a dress, but was in fact composed of knit sweaters deconstructed into a more interesting garment that would be sure to turn heads
anywhere.

Collaborations also seemed to be a recurring theme at this year’s event, with (X)S.M.L working together with musician Mario Ginanjar on a largely monochromatic collection that brought together London and Tokyo street-style elements with military influences.

Bateeq

Multibrand boutique Project X collaborated with Indonesian brand Rigio to display a stand-alone collection on the last day of the fashion week. The collaboration brought out, again, street-style influences ranging from kimono-style jackets, boxy sweaters, T-shirts and checked patterns.

The closing day was dedicated to denim, with designers interpreting the “Denim Culture” theme with fabric supplied by Lee Cooper.

Amot Syamsuri Muda channeled 1990s clubwear in distressed and heavily washed denim paired with gender-distorting elements like cropped tops, black PVC and bright tulle statements.

Meanwhile, ALLTHETHINGIVEDONE took another approach, featuring minimalist Asian-inspired silhouettes and garments that were distinctly Japanese.

Rama Dauhan provided a touch of whimsy with his “Maitreya” collection, a love letter to the humble food stalls ubiquitous to Indonesian roads, with silhouettes that managed to perfectly portray true “street” fashion.

Danjyo Hiyoji closed the event with “Hip-Pop”, a neon-infused collection inspired by the vibrant, youthful skateboarding scene, featuring bold lines, cutesy prints and illustrations on boxy cuts.

With its vibrant menswear collections, this year’s PIMFW contributed to further entrench Jakarta’s reputation as a fashion destination.

Pink pop: A model wears an ensemble from designer Danjyo Hiyoji’s "Hip-pop" collection, which combines skater influences with structured denim.

— Photos courtesy of Magnifique