Starting from zero, it took five years for young designer Amy Atmanto to get her signature kebaya traditional Javanese blouse recognized by the Indonesian fashion world.

And the love for and talent in designing clothes has been in her blood for some time.

While she was not a professional tailor, Amy's mother Amini Ayub Sani was also skilled with the needle: She liked sewing and making clothes for her relatives.

"Ever since I was young, I was happy watching my mother making different clothes, especially colorful lace dresses like those worn by ballerinas," recalled the 35-year-old designer.

Amy subsequently asked her mother to teach her how to sew and bead.

"Since junior high school I have been good at sewing. I even made the school uniform I wore every day," she said.

At school, Amy's artistic talents were obvious, although sometimes her teachers found her imagination a little "over-creative", making her get the lowest grade in her PKK (family welfare) class.

"At that time, we were assigned to make pajamas. For me, this was an easy tasks because pajama patterns are simple. The reality is I got bad marks because I decorated the pajamas with beads and lace flowers," she said, laughing.

Amy, the first of three children, still considered sewing a hobby as a teenager, putting her hopes instead toward becoming a secretary. However, an opportunity to further her education overseas through a scholarship took her on a different path.

At that time, the scholarship offered no program that would support her dream to become a secretary, and led her to study communications and international law instead.

Still, Amy retained her love and interest in clothing design. During her university holidays, she took an advanced sewing course in Sydney where she was studying.

Amy graduated with honors from her university, and returned to Indonesia to begin her career as a television journalist. She also took a job as a public relations manager at a production house.

But when she was at the top of her career, Amy decided in 1998 to leave the professional world to focus on becoming a housewife.

Her marriage to Indar Atmanto, president director of the privately owned Indosat M2, was later followed by the birth of their first son, Adam, who became the priority in both their lives.

Following the birth of her second son, Opih, in 2001, Amy felt it was time to get busy again and her decision landed her back in her old hobby, designing clothes.

While looking after her children, Amy made clothes for herself in her spare time and wore them to various functions.

"I never expected I would have so many friends who liked the clothes I created. Some of them even wanted to buy the clothes I was wearing."

Since then, Amy has frequently been asked to help design clothes similar to those she had made. At that time, Amy did the measuring and pattern-making, but gave sewing instructions to a tailor, and then to another person to attach beads.

With the flow of orders, Amy soon realized the business potential of her activity.

In 2005, Amy decided to take her business seriously, buying a sewing machine and hiring staff to work as seamstresses and to make beads.

Amy oversaw all the processes involved in making clothes at her workshop, from start to finish, and began to specialize in creating traditional Javanese blouses (kebaya).

Amy said she made her decision based on her skills and designs for clothing that fitted the body well.

Based on her experience, Amy was good at making a bustier version of the kebaya.

"The cut for the traditional Javanese blouse must be precise. Even if the customer is fat, the blouse should not wrinkle and there should be no folds in her clothing," Amy explained.

Busy business, mainly through verbal promotions, encouraged Amy to hold her first show of her kebaya collection in 2006.

Through the event, Amy's talents in designing traditional Javanese blouses (under the Royal Sulam label) were openly exposed.

Amy's background in communication also played an important role in promoting the kebaya she created to more Indonesian women.

Support even came from State Minister for Women's Empowerment Meutia Hatta. Through her label, Amy was chosen by Swarovski crystal to become an ambassador for Indonesia in 2007.

Thousands of Swarovski crystals were pinned to a kebaya-styled gown designed by Amy for Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori when she visited Indonesia.

Amy's name is also regularly mentioned as a designer for celebrities, such as Nafa Urbach and Diana Pungky.

Amy also designed a kebaya for the wedding of actress Annisa Trihapsari, as well as a headscarf that was made with gold thread and sprinkled with crystals that cost Rp 15 million (US$1,600) alone.

When asked about the price of her designs, Amy said she would adjust the material and design it to her client's budget.

But because her products have now gone up-market, the cost of a Royal Sulam kebaya can be anywhere between Rp 10 and 20 million (or more), in line with the quality of materials used and their exclusive designs.

Amy, who wants to develop her business into a professionally-managed fashion industry like fashion houses overseas, also aims to help people by developing the local creative industry.

"Kebaya-making is complicated. It starts with the cutting and sewing, the beading and the embroidery. It has potential to open up job opportunities for many people."

Through her kebaya, which Amy describes as her "masterpieces", she remains loyal to conventional style with an elegant and polite image.

"For kebaya, I don't like models who are too funky. I always make each design unique and exclusive through attention to detail. While the model is simple, a glamorous image will emerge through the embroidery, beads, crystals, pearls or gold thread embroidery.

The designer also believes that her designs accentuate the characters of those who wear them.

"After talking for several minutes, I can guess someone's character, and I apply that knowledge in the designs," she said.

With her rising popularity as a designer, Amy continues to innovate.

Ahead of the Ramadhan fasting month in 2007, Amy launched a collection of Muslim clothing in the Mediterranean style, under the Royal Kaftan label.

And recently this year, she again released a new label of Muslim clothes which are meant for the retail market.

But her affair with Muslim clothing does not mean she is leaving behind her work in making kebaya.

"The kebaya, in both its original and modern forms, can serve as a means to communicate Indonesian culture, internationally," Amy said.

"I wish that, when seeing someone wearing a kebaya in Paris or Milan, people immediately think of Indonesia."

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