(Courtesy of Hotel Mulia)A good design always has a story.

Couturier Adrian Gan values narratives behind his designs. His devotion to structure makes each detail of his craft accomplish a greater composition.

In his latest offerings staged at the Eternity Chapel of The Mulia Hotel in Nusa Dua, Bali, he brought to the surface the secrets of the ocean's seabed, elaborating the shapes and textures of life among the coral reefs in dazzling wedding dresses.

There are plays with pearl-beaded bodice and ruffles. One gown has the pearl bodice meet a long skirt featuring tangled organza cords. Another dress has the bodice on a metal structure that joins a long, ample-ruffled skirt.

'I want to capture waves, movements of sea anemones, corals and sea plants,' Adrian said of his work.

The industrious designer experiments with acrylics to seize the shine of pearls and clamshells. He fractures an acrylic plate only to reassemble the fragments on a gown that ends with an ostrich-feather skirt.

Another inspiring detail is simple wooden-heeled wedges that accompany the wedding dresses as an alternative to regular high heels.

The star of the bridal show, however, is a Balinese songket gown with wave-shaped draping. For this creation, Adrian incorporates six pieces of songket from Sidemen district in Karangasem regency. Having a simpler structure than others, it is classic and elegant, a riveting dress that easily wins many hearts.

With more than three decades in the fashion industry, Adrian is a household name for meticulously designed dresses and ball gowns. He is a connoisseur of vintage fabrics, going to flea markets every time he travels to find paramount designs from various cultures.

Also at The Mulia, during the hotel group's Appreciation Party recently, he showcased an evening wear collection featuring traditional embroidery from the Miao tribe of southern China that he has been accumulating for the last five years.

'It is not easy to find valuable patterns as they don't come from a rich tribe. I selected the best parts from used baby carriers, table clothes and skirts,' said Adrian.

He applied the fabrics in modern designs: loosely structured dresses alongside caped-like, empire-waist gowns, pleated skirts and stronger shoulder silhouettes that pair up with short jackets. There were four sequences in the collection, representing gold, silver, earthy tones and a blend of all three.

Anachronism seems to be his magic. While utilizing long-dress designs from ancient China, there is a deliberate use of fabrics. Embroidered organza meets long frills and a jacquard dress underneath a short ostrich-feathered jacket. Bold use of metal jewelry in the form of bracelets and necklaces, designed by Rinaldy A. Yunardi, makes the final representations current.

At their best, the long dresses might perfectly suit Queen Amidala from Star Wars.

Adrian said he had challenged the stereotype of women's dresses in the two fashion shows. He pointed out that the long dresses as well as the modern O-line ones in the Miao collection might be discouraging for some women.

'There is a stereotype in women's dresses, overemphasis on fitting, hip-hugging designs. There are other expressions of femininity.'

To comfortably wear such dresses, he said, women should be perfectly confident in themselves regardless of their body shapes.

Popular

Indonesian hotel chain confirms exit from Cuba

Corruption scandals, rupiah fall revive reshuffle talks

Waiting is not an option