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our young designers – Albert Yanuar, Imelda Kartini, Jeffry Tan, Nina Nikicio and Yosafat Dwi Kurniawan – took the stage of the 2012 Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) to display their latest take on ready-to-wear.

For fashion enthusiasts in town, the names of the four fashion designers might ring a bell since some of their works have been displayed in noted fashion stores and have become favorites for those who want to look young and stylish.

Yosafat Dwi Kurniawan opened the show with his latest women’s collection through his self-titled ready-to-wear deluxe label Yosafat, which was established in 2010.

The designer has completed his studies in fashion design at Lasalle College International Jakarta and during his studies he had his chance to present a collection at the China Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2009 in Beijing, as a part of the Hempel Award, the China International Young Fashion Designer Contest.

In the recent IFW, Yosafat showcased a number of pencil skirts in neutral shades, paired with see-through long-sleeved dress shirts, jackets and coats in matching tones. The buttoned-up collars appeared to be collected, giving a more refined yet sophisticated look.

The structured skirts were either classic straight cut or winged with a splash of tangerine on the wing side. He toyed with crystal embellishments which created unique graphic lines on the fabrics.

Coming up with “Young Spirits” theme, Nina Nikicio brought a carefree mood onto the runway through her label Nikicio. She turned washed or treated denims, jersey and cotton into a series of wearable pieces.

She teamed up, for instance, buttoned-up shirts with mid-length shorts and jackets. Other casual items were a loose dress matched with coat, a sheer sleeveless shirt with straight-cut trousers and jacket, and capris paired with jacket.

Jeffry Tan appeared with a number of menswear items in neon hues, offering fresh ideas for men out there who dare to play with colors.

The designer, who participated in the 2003 Young ASEAN Fashion Design Contest in Singapore, dressed his male models in pink, purple and red tight pants, simply matched with fitted T-shirts.

It was also interesting to see how Albert Yanuar and Imelda Kartini, both widely recognized for their couture collections, displayed their easy-to-wear designs.

Color-blocked pretty dresses with details like pleats and rosettes dominated Albert’s collection, sparking super feminine ambiance.

Imelda herself gave a surprise by covering her models’ faces with braided masks, which certainly drew the audience’s attention.

Through her Bretzel collection, which is her second line, Imelda popped up with multi-functioned pieces in earthy tones like khaki, brown, grey and black. The color palette, Imelda said, was inspired by the tale of Jack and the
Giant Killer.

Known for her ladylike dresses and bridal gowns, Bretzel embraces a different approach as it is far from a feminine look.

“I have learned that Indonesians tend to get bored with one certain style, so I created an outfit, which can be turned into four styles,” Imelda said after the show.

To cater to the idea, Imelda used buttons for styling. A top, for instance, can be transformed into a jacket or a dress.

“Here, if you don’t use the buttons, they can also be accessories for the outfits,” she added. Pleated and braided jerseys were twisted and adorned casually on the clothes.

It would surely take some practice for the wearer to change the clothes into a different style as one of the models took some time to do it on the stage.