T

he much anticipated market that curates local brands, Brightspot, will open its doors to the public today (Friday) at Gandaria City Mall, showcasing the works of the growing Indonesian fashion industry to enthusiastic shoppers while giving young entrepreneurs the chance to experience the fashion business.

For its eighth edition, the show-stopping Brightspot Market expects to welcome as many as 65,000 people, a dramatic growth from the approximately 5,000 during its opening three years ago at EX Plaza Indonesia.

Starting off to express a sense of appreciation for the arts and fashion, now Brightspot has hundreds of people lining up at their doorstep on the first day, minutes before the opening.

Brands that have been featured in the previous Brightspot editions like Nikicio, Satcas and Proklamasi will open up a stall yet again, whereas more than 50 new brands will have to pass the two-month screening process before qualifying for a spot at the exclusive market.

As a facilitator for fashion’s unique pop elements, Brightspot will help mobilize qualified independent designers and elevate their business while catering to fashion lovers in Jakarta.

So far, Brightspot has successfully guided and provided over 125 young, creative designers their first stepping stone into the fashion industry, bringing them a harmonized medium to interact with buyers, investors and other fashion lovers.

“Brightspot is a platform where local brands can be showcased at the same level as international brands,” said Chris Kerrigan, co-founder of Brightspot Market. Bringing shopping to a whole new level, Brightspot is now a medium where designers can get constructive feedback from customers and offers the chance to meet foreign representatives for possible international partnerships.

Due to the growing economy, positive feedback and high demand, Brightspot opened a permanent shop in Plaza Indonesia, The Goods Dept, to showcase only the best fashion items of local designers. It didn’t take long for them to expand further; getting their hands into food and beverages by opening The Goods Café in the middle of the shop. The cozy cafe is currently famous for their rainbow cakes that are to die for (get there before 11 a.m. if you want a slice). The store will close near the end of June, but not to worry, The Goods Dept will reopen in Pacific Place, with “more to come”, said co-founder Leonard Theosabrata.

One of his promises was realized last week when BrightspotMarket.com was launched, with a much more detailed overview of each participating brand. TheGoodsDept.com will soon follow and transform into an online shop, making shopping more accessible for people outside the capital. Sorry to disappoint those willing to drive far for a slice of rainbow cake, but you’ll have to continue waking up early until they decide to sell their cakes online as well.

As much as Brightspot Market owes its success to Indonesia’s growing economy, it’s becoming a challenge for Theosabrata to find a venue for just that reason. “While our ideal place is unused areas inside a mall, those kind of places are getting harder to find as the economy grows,” he said. “Last time we had 55,000 people in 3,500 square meters.”

Even though the venue might be slightly smaller than the previous one, Theosabrata promises a colder environment compared to the exceptionally warm, summer-themed Brightspot market last year.

“Brightspot is where creation becomes realization,” said Theosabrata. “It has to keep growing. Now, what’s next?”