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blend of casual, classy and modern looks has underlined the transformation of menswear, which was showcased in the fifth Plaza Indonesia Men'€™s Fashion Week.

Noted local designer Josephine '€œObin'€ Komara of Bin House opened the event, presenting 30 colorful urban but casual designs, mostly made of silk and cotton.

The application of batik elements strengthened the designs as Obin is widely known for innovation in batik fashion.

She turned bright batik garments into loose pants that were combined with dark suits or shirts, while in other designs she produced a simple monochromatic shirt with batik motifs.

Obin also presented jeans and she enriched the look by putting a long batik scarf on the waist that functioned as a stylish belt.

The faded jeans, she said, were not made of denim but regular cotton that had been modified so it looked like denim.

'€œI don'€™t label my collection as casual or formal. You can use them all for casual occasions or for a cocktail party. It'€™s just a matter of how you mix and match and put it on,'€ she said.

Apart from Bin House, the first day of the event also featured three designers from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Joe Chia from Malaysia presented his Liberation collection, which was inspired by military uniforms.

'€œIt'€™s about transformation and functionality at the same time, and we draw inspiration from the military, the functionality of military uniforms,'€ Chia said.

A beige top featuring a lot of pockets on its front and sleeves matched with capri pants of the same color, a sleeveless shirt with knee-length shorts and black hoodie coat with three-quarter pants gave a sporty and stylish look.

The use of black headbands in some of the pieces also enhanced the masculinity of the styles.

Chia said he also did some experiments in the collection by making a raincoat that could be turned into a folding backpack.

'€œI like designing clothes that can be used every day, not to be presented only on the runway,'€ he said, adding that he also liked to use eco-friendly materials, such as bamboo textiles and organic silks.

Meanwhile, Filipino designer Chris Jasler with his Jail Jeans line generated denim sensations from head to toe by presenting his bold jeans designs.

'€œI wanted to present something different this time, so I'€™ve brought more colors into the designs now,'€ he said.

Bright yellow, dark red, dark purple and pink jean jackets were showcased, a sleeveless vest, and unconventional tuxedo jeans highlighted his collection.

Moreover, Jasler also presented jackets and jeans that featured skull motifs, some of which were decorated with patches and studs.

'€œAll of the outfits were made of denim. Some of the designs may look like leather, but they were made of denim that has been texturized so it looks like leather,'€ said Jasler, who used to be a runway model.

On the second day, Men'€™s Fashion Week presented Yogyakarta-based designer Phillip Iswardono, who transformed Javanese traditional striped lurik woven cloth and striped woven surjan jackets to look fashionable.

At his first menswear show, he modified the surjan jacket into a sportier look with stripes, and added lurik elements on the collars, shoulders and chest in the monochromatic shirts and vests.

'€œI combine those tops with three-quarter pants, long pants and sarongs. The 36 outfits aim to take Javanese traditional attire to another level by giving modern and casual touches here and there,'€ Phillip said.

Iwan Tirta Private Collection also participated in the event, presenting its timeless, luxurious, batik collection.

The richness of the motifs, which were featured on slim-fit batik tops generates a classy look for those who wear it.

Neckerchiefs that were used together with batik enhanced the look, while the long batik scarves that were tied in several styles looked contrasting and elegant when paired with monochromatic long-sleeved shirts.

Also participating in the fashion week were rising designer Patrick Owen and a number of local and international high-end brands, including ISIS, Adamist, Hugo Boss, Emporio Armani and Ermenegildo Zegna.