Saluang woven headdress from Pariaman, West Sumatra. (JP/Dian Kuswandini) The catwalks have recently seen a revival of traditional costumes in rich colors and patterns, sometimes fused with the latest cuts and details. But as fabulous as they look, one element has been missing: Headdresses.

Often omitted from fashion parades and discussions on cultural heritage, traditional headdresses are like neglected treasures. Even though they can tell stories of centuries-old motifs and philosophies, they have not managed to attract many people’s interest in learning more about them. “A headdress might be one thing that many people never pay attention to, but it’s an important element as a part of the whole of traditional couture,” said Adiati Arifin Siregar, chairwoman of the Indonesian Traditional Textile Society (Himpunan Wastraprema). For this reason, Wastra...