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Linda Mariani: A rising young couturier
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(JP/Novia D. Rulistia) (JP/Novia D. Rulistia)
(JP/Novia D. Rulistia)
When it comes to fashion, young designer Linda Mariani prefers to go into details.
For example, she knows that the handmade crystal beads she affixes in just the right arrangement on a gown she designs can make the wearer of that dress feel unique.
'People love to look different, and it is the detail that differentiates one gown from another ' no two are ever the same,' Linda said.
The 30-year-old couturier said that although filling the details of a dress could take longer than the making of the dress itself, she enjoyed every second of the work.
'The cutting is usually simple, and it takes around two days to complete it. But I can spend around three to four days just on the details,' said Linda, who is a fan of the late British designer Alexander McQueen and local designer Biyan.
Linda first showed interest in fashion in junior high school in Semarang, Central Java. As a teenager, she loved to mix and match her clothes before she began to draw out designs for her own creations on paper.
She enrolled in the Susan Budihardjo Fashion Institute in Semarang in 2001 before she decided to move to Jakarta a year later for greater exposure to the fashion industry.
'I came to Jakarta with a determination to build my career in fashion. I lived by myself here, far from my family and tried my best to make my dream come true,' she said.
She equipped herself with the proper knowledge in fashion school because she believed that school would be one of the tools to help her reach her dream. She continued her study in Susan Budihardjo for one-and-a-half years and then she got a scholarship from Esmod Jakarta fashion school for a year.
'Fashion school is very important for me, because there we're not only learning about the technique, but we also gather with those who have the same passion, and we can attend or participate in fashion events. Those things can enrich our knowledge about fashion,' she said.
Linda also said that during her schooling, experts in the field spurred her interest in haute couture.
While taking classes, she challenged herself by starting to design for other people, professionally. In 2006, she was introduced to her first customer, for whom she made a dress. Her confidence as a designer slowly increased and she started to look for more customers by herself.
'It was a busy period for me, dividing my time between school and running a business. But it's my passion, so I was more than happy to do it,' she said.
In 2008, she established her own fashion brand, Linda Mariani, which she ran from her apartment in Sudirman, South Jakarta.
She then met singer Cindy Claudia Harahap who was looking for chic, innovative pregnant dresses for herself.
'So I made dresses for her and her family. They've been my customers for some time now,' she said.
The relationship between the two seems to be a chief driver of Linda's success, as more celebrities see her designs and find them attractive.
Singers Nafa Urbach, Yuni Shara, Krisdayanti and Ruth Sahanaya are among those who have worn her dresses. 'I don't spend money or create a specific strategy to promote my clothes. It's more from word of mouth because I offer services,' Linda said.
Recently, her dresses were also worn by Irish violinist Sharon Corr during the Yovie Widianto concert and by Miss South Africa, Miss Bolivia, Miss Tunisia, Miss Nicaragua and Miss Gabon for the 2013 Miss World in Bali.
But Linda's life does not revolve only around fashion.
When she needs to get out of the routine, she paints or makes pottery. But she also likes to stroll around art galleries and spaces in the capital to see art exhibitions and watch music or dance performances.
Moreover, Linda also likes to do outdoor activities, such as diving and paragliding.
'I've been diving for two years. And what I see underwater, like the patterns of the coral or the colors, sometimes inspire the details on the dresses I make,' she said.
Despite her seemingly smooth journey in fashion, Linda has also hit setbacks, like when she was commissioned by dishonest clients. 'It's part of the job, I guess. I tend to let things go quickly because I believe that my fortune can come again from anywhere.' After a few years, her fashion business had outgrown her apartment and she had to move to a bigger place in Fatmawati, South Jakarta, in order to have space for her workshop.
She now employs 15 people who help her make couture dresses for her clients. She also has a new brand that she launched earlier this year, called
Lieblich, that produces batik bags. Next year, she aims to go international, beginning with her participation in Hong Kong Fashion Week in January.
'For Hong Kong, we have prepared 25 evening dresses, but only eight will be presented on the runway,' said the designer.
In addition, she said, she hoped to launch a bridal line and men's wear under her fashion house.
'But that will take more time. So we'll see,' she said.
