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Toton Januar: A fashion story
Up-and-coming Indonesian fashion designer Toton Januar will compete against emerging designers from China, Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan, and also his comrades from Indonesia for the International Woolmark Prize 2016/2017, on July 12.
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Toton Januar. Back in April 2016, Toton was selected as one of few Indonesian designers to welcome President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to the Fenwick pop-up shop where the designers had showcased their work. (-/Ni Nyoman Wira)
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oton Januar, one of Indonesia's up-and-coming designers, recently met with The Jakarta Post at his workshop in Petogogan, South Jakarta, to discuss his brand Toton The Label, and his recent inclusion on the list of Asian nominees in the prestigious International Woolmark Prize 2016/2017 alongside other Indonesian designers, Ari and Sari Seputra of Major Minor Maha and Vinora Ng of Vinora.
“It’s a really fantastic opportunity,” Toton said. “It’s something that I had dreamt of,” Toton said, adding that he had encouraged Svida Alisjahbana, chairwoman of Jakarta Fashion Week, to bring Woolmark to Jakarta. It would be a great opportunity for talented Indonesian designers to be showcased internationally, he explained.
(Read also: Toton Januar: Fashion with Indonesia in mind)
Toton will compete against emerging designers from China, Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan, and also his comrades from Indonesia for the International Woolmark Prize 2016/2017, on July 12. The winner of the Asian-region competition will proceed to compete against other regional winners, from areas such as US, Europe, the British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, and the Middle East.
“I don’t dare to expect anything, I will just do my best,” he said. “It’s going to be tough, the Asian region is going to be really tough. I had the opportunity to get to know the nominees from our show in Paris and they’re really good”.
Back in April 2016, Toton was selected as one of few Indonesian designers to welcome President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to the Fenwick pop-up shop where the designers had showcased their work.
“Jokowi was in London to sign an MoU between Indonesia and United Kingdom for the creative industry. It was really a nice coincidence because they were talking about the creative industry and we were there, the perfect example [of it]," Toton said.
(Read also: Jokowi visits Indonesian designers in London)
Managing Toton The Label with his business partner Haryo Balitar, Toton's creations garner attention among fashion enthusiasts from as far as Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Through his designs, Toton hopes women feel more alive.
“I want women to feel that they wear something that has a story that they can relate to, so they can carry the story and make it their own. I want to be part of their story, their lives”.
Toton admits that he has faced challenges while preparing for the International Woolmark Prize 2016/2017, “Indonesia is not a country that naturally embraces wool. One of the stipulations of the competition is, that there has to be 80 percent merino wool used in one collection. We're not used to that, it’s something we’re developing and exploring right now”. (asw)
