We called her 'Mamak': Remembering Indonesia’s hiking mother

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Streetwise: A model showcases a gray denim ensemble from Fas Delman, a streetwear collection by Indonesian designer Vincent Mikhael of Denimitup and French-Senegalese designer Etienne Diop of Tareet, created through Pintu's Accelerator program.

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‘Pintu’ opens a new runway between France and Indonesia

Through residencies and collaborations, designers are transforming cultural exchange into contemporary collections.

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More than love: The real costs of owning a dog

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A seat at a plastic table: Sungai Watch innovates sustainable design

The environmental group's river cleanup efforts are feeding a growing circular design movement, turning discarded plastic into furniture while pushing for systemic action on waste management. ...

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Vintage replica: Founder Pudji Handoko of replica car specialist Tuksedo Studio in Gianyar, Bali, and his team built this red Porsche 356 A Coupe using the model's original blueprint. (Courtesy of Pudji Handoko)

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Labor of love: Indonesia's talented 'artisans' rebuild vintage cars

Indonesian "artisans" are recreating vintage cars as a labor of love, making it possible for classic car enthusiasts to own one.

4 years ago

Worldwide sensation: The word game 'Wordle' is shown on a mobile phone on Jan. 12, in Houston, Texas, the United States. (AFP/Getty Images North America/Brandon Bell)

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Wordle-wide hit: Viral game restores Indonesians’ love for word puzzles

The viral word puzzle Wordle has become the world’s latest craze, giving rise to dozens of versions of the game in other languages, including Indonesian.

4 years ago

In this file photo taken on January 4, 2022, a Starbucks sign hangs above the entrance of one of the chain's coffee shops in Chicago, Illinois.

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Union says Starbucks fired organizing committee at US store

A union representing Starbucks employees accused the coffee chain of firing workers attempting to organize in the US state of Tennessee.

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Digital runway: A model walks the runway for Badgley Mischka during “New York Fashion Week: The Shows” at Spring Studios on Feb. 8, 2020, in New York City, the United States. Mischka will provide digital releases for the upcoming New York Fashion Week.

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Mandatory masks, tests as NY Fashion Week embraces ‘new normal’

With a return to physical shows in September following virtual fashion weeks earlier in the pandemic, organizers are embracing a "new normal" mix of in-person and digital presentations.

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Mercedes-Benz in 2021: a reflective year of innovations and record sales

The leading luxury automotive brand increases sale numbers through technology breakthroughs and customer care innovations.

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NFT artist: Robness shows his piece Brute Trash Can on his mobile phone on Jan. 27, 2022 at Torrance Beach in Torrance, California. The artwork, listed as a non-fungible token (NFT), sold for more than $250,000.

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NFT artist sells image of trash can for $252,000

Marcel Duchamp scandalized the art world in 1917 when he submitted a urinal as his entry to a prestigious competition. A century later, an American artist known as “Robness” sparked his own controversy by selling a non-fungible token (NFT) of a rubbish bin for $252,000.

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Blue all over: Ocean view from a Raffles Bali villa. (Courtesy of Raffles Bali)

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Raffles Bali aims to reimagine luxury

Raffles Bali aims to redefine what the resort experience means during pandemic times

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Soaring: A pair of the Nike/Louis Vuitton “Air Force 1” by Virgil Abloh is on display on Jan. 21, 2022 at Sotheby's in New York. Early bids for all pairs of the designer sneakers have outstripped estimates, with still a week to go until the hammer.

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Abloh’s Nike/Louis Vuitton sneakers beatign auction estimates

Bids for 200 pairs of Nike/Louis Vuitton "Air Force 1" sneakers designed by Virgil Abloh are running well beyond Sotheby's initial estimates in an auction, with a week still to go.

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The star: Aglaonema and its variants, such as Aglaonema Pink Catrina (pictured), are native plants from Asia that have become highly popular in the market. (Personal Collection/Courtesy of Andaris Dikarina)

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Decorative plants: From stress relief to booming business

As many use them to help relieve stress during the pandemic, decorative plants have turned into a very profitable business.

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Colorful comeback: A model presents a creation by Elie Saab in the Lebanese designer’s Spring-Summer 2022 Haute Couture collection show on Jan. 26, 2022 during Paris Fashion Week in the French capital.

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Elie Saab returns to Paris catwalk with vibrant looks

Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab has returned to the Paris catwalk after nearly two years with a collection of vibrant, red carpet-ready looks, turning the page on a troubled period marked by the Beirut port blast and COVID-19.

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Individualized collectible: Ryco Haryanto sports an Orient watch with a customized dial that pays homage to the Rolex Day-Date with an onyx dial. (Personal Collection/Courtesy of Ryco Haryanto)

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The world of watch collecting catches up with ‘modding’ trend

Not simply collecting, watch collectors can explore their hobby through modding.

4 years ago

For all ages: Tamiya enthusiasts wait in line to take their Mini 4WD out for a spin. (Courtesy of Radhiyya Indra)

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Local enthusiasts still keeping flame of '90s Tamiya racing fever

Three decades have passed since the Japanese toy manufacturer released its iconic four-wheeled drive model car, yet everyone from the current generation to adults are keeping the tracks hot.

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Gone too soon: United States fashion designer Virgil Abloh acknowledges the audience at the end of the Off-White Women's Fall-Winter 2019/2020 Ready-to-Wear fashion show on Feb. 28, 2019 in Paris.

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Tears for Virgil Abloh at posthumous Paris show

There were tears on the catwalk on Thursday as the final Louis Vuitton show by United States designer Virgil Abloh, whose death shocked the industry last year, drew rapturous applause at Paris Fashion Week.

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Grand scale: A full view of Yogyakarta Marriott Hotel. (Courtesy of Yogyakarta Marriott Hotel)

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Work from Jogja? Not a problem for Yogyakarta Marriott Hotel

As the pandemic loosens its grip on the hospitality industry, hotels return to business. Some do so in stellar fashion.

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Newscaster: 32-year-old Daniel Wiguna is a business and economics news anchor at CNBC Indonesia (Photo Courtesy of Daniel Wiguna)

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Money guru: Daniel Wiguna makes finance cool again

Blending his 'cool guy' charm with proven intelligence, business and economics news anchor Daniel Wiguna champions financial literacy for young people while striving to be Indonesia's next leading newscaster

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Potential income: Digital storytelling platforms offer a way for aspiring writers to get their work out there and gain a loyal following, while some platforms also offer pay to popular writers. (Unsplash/Daniel Thomas)

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Digital storytelling platforms: How aspiring writers can kick-start their careers

Digital storytelling platforms have become the place to look for up-and-coming writers of every genre, from chick lit to fantasy dramas. Young and aspiring authors use these platforms to show off their work and hopefully, launch a writing career.

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From NFTs to grandpa, new French label embraces it all

For Egonlab, making it in fashion today means embracing many things -- from traditional runway shows to digital clothes, and even using your own grandparents as models.

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Visitors walk at Pantai Cenai in Langkawi on September 16, 2021, as the Malaysian holiday island reopens to domestic tourists following closures due to restrictions to halt the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.

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World tourism won't return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024: UN

Tourism arrivals around the world are not expected to return to their pre-pandemic levels until 2024 at the earliest.

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Exporting flavor: In December 2020, Kopikalyan, which runs three coffee shops under the same name in Indonesia, opened its first Japanese outlet in Harajuku, Tokyo. (JP/Takehiro Masutomo)

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Indonesian cafe serves up local coffee to Tokyo's centre of hipness

An Indonesian coffee chain tries its luck in Tokyo's center of hip culture and new trends.

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Adult fiction: After graduating from Mizan's Fantasteen, Ziggy started producing young adult fiction, such as "Jakarta Sebelum Pagi" (Jakarta Before Dawn). (Courtesy of Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie)

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Indonesia's Peter Pan: Ziggy Z delivers dark subjects with a child's eye

Award-winning author Ziggy Zezsyazeoviennazabrizkie has published another book that looks relatively harmless at a glance yet is deceptively angsty and dark.

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Catwalk: US actor Jeff Goldblum presents a creation for Prada's Men's Fall/Winter 2022/2023 fashion collection in Milan.

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Jeff Goldblum takes to catwalk for Prada in Milan

Miuccia Prada looked to Hollywood for inspiration as the Italian luxury label unveiled its Autumn-Winter 2022-23 collection on Sunday using 10 actors including Hollywood A-lister Jeff Goldblum to model the classical chic menswear, all the while bending some rules.

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Cheaper alternative: Many younger Indonesians prefer renting handbags, as it lets them keep up with fashion trends without spending too much money. (Unsplash/Fresstocks)

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No fakes, just rentals: How young Indonesians sport luxury bags without breaking the bank

Designer bag rental services are emerging as an affordable way to keep up with mercurial fashion trends.

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Twitter back in Nigeria after seven-month blackout

Twitter was accessible in Nigeria on Thursday after the government lifted a seven-month ban on the social media giant for deleting a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari.

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Partygoer: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is pictured wearing a face covering on Wednesday ahead of the weekly session of Prime Minister’s Questions at the House of Commons.

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Royals and reality TV stars: Famous COVID rulebreakers

From British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reality TV star Kim Kardashian, the Dutch royals and now tennis superstar Novak Djokovic, a slew of politicians and celebrities have found themselves in hot water over COVID rules.

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Bold patterns: Sequins and leather disks are sewn into the collection, creating bold geometric patterns. (Courtesy of Sebastian Gunawan)

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Designer couple Sebastian Gunawan and Christina Panarese launch new ethereal collection

Teaming up with wife Christina Panarese, Indonesian designer Sebastian Gunawan launches ‘The Fairies’ Ball’ collection inspired by the magical creature.

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A man looks out over the city from an old bedroom window in the dilapidated Ducor hotel in Monrovia on November 18, 2021.

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In Liberia, abandoned hotel stands as symbol of haunted past

Towering above Liberia's ramshackle capital Monrovia stands a hotel that once symbolised an African dream yet today lies in ruins, a legacy of brutal conflict.

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A platform of expression and creativity, YouTube has diverse contents ranging from pranks and gaming to makeup tutorials.

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Japan firefighter punished for YouTube side hustle

A Japanese firefighter moonlighting as a gaming YouTuber had cold water poured on his career by public officials who uncovered his secret side hustle.

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Meditative view: Beach view from the main pool at Andaz Sanur. (JP/Denverino Dante)

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A luxury resort built upon Sanur’s personal style

Andaz Bali takes inspiration from traditional Balinese traditions and aesthetic.

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Happy 'family': Furi Harun poses with several dolls from her collection. The collector is said to have fuelled the spirit doll craze among Indonesian celebrities. (Courtesy of Instagram/Furi Harun)

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Spirit doll craze: Just a trend, or something else?

The sudden boom in collecting spirit dolls among local celebrities may confound many, but two experts offer their scientific insights on what could be behind the trend.

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