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| A creation from acclaimed fashion designer Ivan Gunawan's latest collection, which showcases the handiwork of silk spinners from Manadar, West Sulawesi |
The district is surrounded by white sandy beaches, beautiful mountains and lush paddy fields. Its fertile land is a blessing to its people. Most of the men are farmers that grow cassava, corn, rice and soy beans.
Some also plant mulberries and breed silkworms in their farms. In due time, these worms will weave and enclose themselves in cocoons, which can later be made into fine-yet-tenacious silk threads.
The women of Mandar spin these silk threads, dye and weave them into beautiful sarongs. They do this work in their spare time, after tending to the farms and their daily household chores. It is therefore a long process, one sarong may take two to three months to finish.
Their handiwork is incredibly fine and delicate. The silk sarongs have electric colors of fuchsia, red and yellow with bold geometric designs. Encased within their simple patterns are strands of silver and gold threads that give the sarongs their luxurious gleam.
The pristine natural beauty and delicate handicrafts of Polewali Mandar have captivated Indonesian celebrity fashion designer Ivan Gunawan.
Recently, the designer presented his latest collection, “Malolo,” in the plenary hall of the Jakarta Convention Center.
“I’m smitten with Mandar,” said the fashion designer. “The land is so beautiful and rich in cultural heritage.’’
Yayasan Ratih (the Ratih Foundation), a local women’s organization that perpetuates Mandar’s cultural heritage, invited the designer to Mandar last year. The designer, curious about the region’s traditional textiles, agreed to come.
“I’ve never created anything out of traditional textiles before,” he said. “Somehow, the colors and patterns of [other] Indonesian traditional textiles have always stunted my ideas before.”
However, Mandar sarongs are different. A couple of years ago, a friend traveling to Mandar showed him the beautiful creations of the region. The sarong’s delicate feel, simple motifs and bright colors appealed to the fashion designer.
“I really wanted to come and visit the artisans myself,” he said.
So, in October last year, the designer and his team embarked on a long, arduous journey to Mandar.
From Jakarta, they took a two-hour flight to Makassar, South Sulawesi, and then a four-hour drive to Polewali, the capital of Mandar district.
But there are no more traditional artisans living in Polewali. To visit the artisans, they took another one-and-a-half-hour drive to a traditional village.
“It’s a hard journey,” Ivan said. “But it’s well worth it.”
In the village, Ivan was awed by the skills and patience of the women artisans in weaving the sarongs. In spite of their simple lives, they produce such refined and beautiful textiles.
“It saddened me to see that no one in the region can develop it [the fabric] into something of high economic value,” he said.
In the village, the people usually wear sarongs with simple T-shirts for daily occasions. For weddings or religious ceremonies, the women pair these sarongs with their traditional baju bodo blouse and the men pair the sarongs with traditional black jackets.
In local markets, these sarongs are sold for about Rp 100,000 ($10.30) each.
Ivan bought several Mandar sarongs during his short visit. He also ordered more with particular motifs and colors to prepare for his upcoming fashion show.
“I felt that their colors and patterns suit my design characteristics,” he said.
For his fashion show, the 12-meter-wide white acrylic runway was decorated with trees and bushes. The sea looked serene on the display screen at the background.
“It looks exactly like a bay that I visited in Mandar,” Ivan said.
The high-pitched traditional chanting of the people of Mandar started off the fashion show, which was divided into three sequences.
The first sequence presented cocktail dresses made of Mandar sarongs.
The dresses were fun and colorful and the handwoven silk fabric gleamed lusciously under the spotlights.
Some of the bold colored creations were discreetly obscured with a thin brocade of similar hues to create an impression of modern elegance. Others were enhanced with beads and sequins to add more sparkle.
A simple white cocktail dress in the first sequence was especially chic and enchanting.
The upper part of the dress was a combination of white lace and silk organza arranged in intricate ruffles. The lower part was made of bright yellow Mandar sarong with checker motif, half-obscured under layers of white brocade.
Ivan further showed his ingenuity at combining traditional and modern textiles in the following cocktail dress presented on the catwalk.
The tube dress was simple, yet classy. It was made of a gray Mandar sarong, gathered at the waist with a ribbon. Its pleats were arranged like flower petals framing the model’s chiseled torso. Gray lace, embellished with pearls, peeked meekly from underneath the mini-dress.
All the models wore oversized brass bangles according to the traditional customs of the women of Mandar. They also carried cute rattan handbags that swayed seductively as they sashayed down the catwalk.
In the second sequence, Ivan presented men’s and women’s outfits made of prints inspired by Mandar sarongs.
“Some of the sarongs that I ordered were not finished by the time I needed to prepare them for the fashion show,” Ivan said. “So, I had to be creative and come up with something with a similar look.”
The dresses were more vibrant and playful. In some of the dresses, Ivan combined the checker patterns of Mandar sarongs with colorful floral motifs. In some other dresses, Ivan threw the checker and floral motifs together to create beautiful three-dimensional abstract prints.
A V-neck long gown looked especially alluring and elegant. Ivan successfully married fabrics of different textures, colors and feels into a tasteful fashion harmony in the dress. Made mainly of black velvet, the dress featured purple prints of Mandar sarongs in the center, enhanced with discreet embroideries on the fringes.
For men, Ivan presented resort-style silk shirts, shorts and long pants with bright-colored pinstripe patterns of Mandar sarongs. The models looked trendy and casual in these simple outfits.
“It’s something that I’d personally wear,” Ivan said.
The self-taught designer started his career in 1998 by becoming an assistant designer to his uncle, kebaya designer Adjie Notonegoro.
Seeing his talent and hard work, Adjie then appointed Ivan as a designer for his new line “Studio 18 by Adjie Notonegoro” in 2000.
Four years later, Ivan started his own label, “Ivan Gunawan,” which offered exclusive ready-to-wear party dresses. Today, his clientele includes famous Indonesian singers, movie stars and socialites.
The third sequence of the fashion show presented a series of long, flowing dresses in exquisite floral prints.
“I was truly inspired by the beautiful panorama at Mandar,” said the designer.
Ivan put these beautiful orchids into silk prints and designed them into elegant evening dresses that wowed the audience.
Ivan’s debut using traditional Indonesian textiles has encouraged him to explore more of the country’s cultural heritage.
“I want to explore more traditional textiles, such as Batik and Songket, in my next shows,” he said.
“It’s my duty as a fashion designer to highlight our cultural heritage, while empowering local artisans and improving their economy.”
Ivan Gunawan Boutique
Jalan Abdul Majid Dalam,
Kompleks Perhubungan Laut No. 5,
Cipete, South Jakarta,
Tel. 021 769 0160
Price upon request
For More Info: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/
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