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Malang designer finds inspiration in COVID-19 pandemic

In his COVID-19-themed designs, Malang-based designer Agus Sunandar presents looks with asymmetrical patterns rich in layers.

Nedi Putra AW (The Jakarta Post)
Malang, East Java
Thu, April 16, 2020

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Malang designer finds inspiration in COVID-19 pandemic Malang-based fashion designer Agus Sunandar poses with two models donning his COVID-19-inspired designs on Tuesday. (JP/Nedi Putra AW)

T

he physical distancing policy that forces people to stay at home does not stop Malang designer Agus Sunandar from continuing to work and even be inspired to create COVID-19-themed fashion designs.

“As the name suggests, the designs indeed feature a coronavirus theme,” Agus recently told The Jakarta Post in Malang, East Java.

He said he initially just wanted to encourage people to continue being creative even though they had to stay at home due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Agus wanted to make his designs as a campaign medium so that others like him would be able to respond to the social and environmental conditions around them through their works.

In his COVID-19-themed designs, Agus presents fashion with asymmetrical patterns rich in layers. He does the same to the head accessories that were also made to resemble the virus.

“I deliberately made if fun and colorful,” said Agus, who is also a fashion lecturer at the Malang State University.

He named the designs COVID-20 to refer to the year they were created.

Read also: Indonesian fashion designers help sew, donate protective gear for medical workers

Agus said he used a print technique on scuba fabrics and baby canvas for his works. For the head accessories, he utilized used helmets and washing machine hose.

For some accessories, he combined the costumes with boots. He also added face shield eyeglasses and masks with colorful motifs.

Other accessories he used included big round and triangle bags bearing the drawings of purple coronaviruses with black and white stripes.

“It’s to fit the projected fashion trends for 2021-2022 with an exploitation and exploration theme and excessive maxi sizes,” said Agus, who is also chairman of the Malang chapter of the Indonesian Fashion Chamber (IFC).

So far, Agus has created eight looks along with accompanying accessories during his two weeks of working from home. He said he planned to make a total of 30 sets of coronavirus-themed fashion works.

He expressed hope the pandemic will end soon so that he would be able to present his designs in a fashion show.

“I do not have plans to sell them but should there be buyers, I will donate the money from the sales for efforts to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. (yun/kes)

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