The ballroom of Hotel Mulia Senayan in Central Jakarta was plunged into theatrical darkness.

From the ceiling hung a clock seemingly sculpted from red wax, its crimson drips pooling on the floor below, as if time itself were dissolving, a quiet reminder of a present that feels increasingly fragile.

Indonesian fashion designer Adrian Gan presented Séance, a couture collection that unfolded like a ritual, blurring memory and imagination, in December last year. Richly embroidered gowns, patchworked skirts and structured bodices drew from 19^th-century dress codes, reinterpreted through modern craftsmanship.

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Constructed from vintage materials dating back to 1894, the collection reflects a contemporary design approach increasingly shaping fashion: the reuse of archival textiles as both an aesthetic and ethical choice, where sustainability is inseparable from craft.

Among the pieces was a black gown densely beaded with 200-year-old jais, jet beads made from fossilized wood once used in Victorian evening dresses. Elsewhere, Adrian drew from his personal archive of vintage batik, reconstructing the textiles into patchwork compositions featuring kris and wayang motifs, allowing heritage symbols to surface through modern silhouettes.

“Vintage materials always carry a soul of their own,” Adrian said. “That is why I am drawn to using them.”

Adrian Gan’s approach reflects a broader shift shaping fashion as the industry moves toward 2026. Consumer preferences are increasingly guided by sustainability, craftsmanship and a renewed respect for tradition, values emerging in response to environmental uncertainty, fast-paced lifestyles and the growing dominance of technology.

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