Free Veil and Icon

Many ways to promote veil. One of them is distributing free veil to the women who have not veiled. Rabbani on this Ramadan has Kadongora programs: veil gift by Rabanni. Demand? Booming.

Sunday afternoon in early September and on the 4th floor of Rabbani Building Jalan Dipati Ukur 44 Bandung, over 150 women to sit neatly in the room. When they arrived, their hair still visible. A moment later hoods were distributed to them and at the same time they wore it. The atmosphere changed so crowded. Like magic, the moment they wear a hood with a similar beige-colorful motif. “I am pleased with the motif and the model of hood,” said Iin, one of the participants who joined the event.

According to Heri Gustian, Store Manager of Rabbani, Rabbani shares 200 thousand hoods this year, through 78 reShare (outlets) in 67 cities in Indonesia. “This program is part of the mission, which had led those who have not worn veil to wear it,” said Heri.

To obtain a free veil, said Heri, how pretty easy. Those, who are interested can stay request vouchers in Rabbani outlets to be exchanged with a hood. Vouchers can also be obtained by Rabbani buyers with purchases worth at least Rp100 thousand (a voucher) and multiplication. To attract demand, Rabbani put a banner in the corner of the city of Bandung and take promotion through the mass media. Of course, in addition to preaching, the novice wearer of the hood is potential customers targeted by Rabbani. And indeed, after stepping down from 4th floor, some of them burst into the hood display and other clothing either indoors or in the tents outdoors.

More lucrative prize from Rabbani is a free Umroh package exclusively for members.
Member is the term for members of the community of loyal customers who like the products of Rabbani. They get the first information if Rabbani produces new products and when they get a discount shopping. Rabbani now has 48 thousand members. The same term is used by Shafira. Shafira has 23 thousand members, 15 thousand of them are active members. You certainly can not imagine, buying a hood for some thousands, getting a chance to win free Umroh reward. This is the business trick to increase consumer’s purchasing.

Another way to attract consumers is by using famous artists as icons. Rabbani now calling Astrie Ivo model for women’s hood and dress. Astrie’s poses are shown in all Rabbani campaign media.

Shafira used to call Marissa Haque and Inneke Koesherawati as icons of its products. After Inneke, Shafira now using models that are relatively not famous and non-members. “People already know our products,” said Willa Rosmilasari, PR Media of Shafco Enterprise, the main company that produces Shafira brand. But one condition that must not be violated: the model must be beautiful, graceful, and attract the eye. Because, from the view that consumers expected to buy the hood as the model worn.

The current way is through soap operas and films. Rabbani products worn by actors such as Kalila, Haifa, and Dara KDI in the soap opera Para Pencari Tuhan, Titi Kamal in the Muslimah. Several other soap operas become a means of “promotion” of Rabbani products. Shafira products are also worn by Cinta Fitri soap star, soap opera starring Inneke Koesherawati, and some other soap operas. “The mothers and teenagers who watch a lot of soap operas,” says Willa.

Hoods and clothing worn during the filming stunt. The hope, of course, the audience interested in models who wear the hood which sintron star’s in. Their products are not directly mentioned in the direct promotion of the scene but the scene after the show is usually shows a gratitude to the various parties, including suppliers of clothing to movie players.

Not only soap star, Mamah Dedek, religious speaker in the morning show of Indosiar becomes the star of Rabbani products. Hood manufacturers know that television has become the big “role model” media that has influence on the choices of viewers, including the model and type of the hood.

On the big screen, hoods of this campaign were scattered. Shafira hood worn by the casts in the Ayat- Ayat Cinta and Ketika Cinta Bertasbih. Rabbani hood worn by Eliana figure (played by Alice Sofie Norin) in Ketika Cinta Bertasbih. Also by Husna (played Meyda Sefira), Anna (played by Dewi Setiani Oki) in the same movie.

Outside the screen, graceful poses of pretty soap star and the film are also mounted on the banners, booklets, promotion media in the room attached on the wall in outlets of the producers of this hoods. Rabbani’s forwarding step, again, is to conduct an indie film competition, with requirement of at least one player using Rabbani fashion. Of course, the old ways to follow the fashion show, exhibitions and bazaars, they still do.

The results of the new campaign was not in vain. “After our products promoted through soap operas or movies, sales would rise,” said Nurbakti Amalia, Rabbani Bandung Merchandise Manager.

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Neoladysia

Presenting traditional cloths through contemporary ready-to-wear wardrobes.

In the last Jakarta Fashion Food Festival, remains a few works by several designers who offer interesting ideas. In accordance to the theme of cultural heritage, the designer tried to create using traditional cloths. Like the one done by Musa Widiyatmojo. This year he presents the ready-to-wear wardrobe collection under his owned brand: M by Musa.

As on of the Indonesian elite designers, Musa always wish for his designs to be wearable by every community of all ages. He also has the philosophy that fashion is not just to enjoy, but to wear comfortably. Located in the Harris Hotel, Musa’s wardrobe show was held by presenting 100 pieces of ready-to-wear wardrobes. In his remarks prior to the show, Musa claimed that the theme this time was Neoladysia, meaning Asia’s new lady.

The theme was Musa’s idealism manifestation in portraying current Asian women. Asian women are born based on the strong culture or tradition in their lives, such as the varied cultured of every region. Musa believed that the dressing pattern of each woman also has their own uniqueness, moreover when the feminines wear traditional cloths handed down generation to generation. The thing is, nowadays, the unique traditional cloths are rarely worn. Traditional clothing is often seen during traditional ceremonies.

Neoladysia, is an answer to the rare use of the traditional cloths. As a designer, Musa wishes modern women to still look beautiful in traditional cloths. The wardrobe presented also seemed to serve as the solution to continue preserving the traditional cloths, applied in various ready-to-wear outfits. Even more was the combination between traditional elements with dominating Western wears.

”I present easy to wear fashion, not a hassle when worn in daily activities, for fashion is about fun and personality that has to be shown, and we should have the confidence,” explained the designer who graduates from the Fashion Design Drexel University in Philadelphia-USA.

In his collection, Musa showcased fashion with pieces of traditional cloths or traditional way pf dressing. Such as explained, dressing in traditional cloths  does not always have to be a hassle or boring. He wishes the ladies to get a new sense of feel while wearinf a dress with traditional elements intact. Those such as shirts, blazers, mini and midi gowns, and others; are presented with simple  cuts, but the modifications by using traditional cloths such as the songket, batik, woven, and sari from India makes the wear more ethnical.

Not only using Indonesian traditional cloths, Musa also slips in the Asian women dressing manners. Several wears such as the kimono wrap, Japanese Obi, Korean Hanbok collar, Chinese Cheongsam, to the kebaya cut blouse were displayed. Not to mention the accessories that Musa put in those are made of fabrics like the scarves, belts, and loose-wears in the Neoladysia collection. ”I am trying to offer the M by Musa collection to be worn by women from ages 20 to 60. With a variety of clients, I am trying to produce outfits that anybody can put on,” Musa revealed.

For color, such as his previous collection, Musa plays more in the tones black, white, maroon red, and gray. The reason for the simple coloring is taken from the customers who have been wearing his works. The Neoladysia collection M by Musa is the third collection after the first ready-to-wear line was introduced, and the entire outfits can be found in the M by Musa outlet located in several malls, including The Catwalk of Kelapa Gading 3 Mall.

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Exposing the Unique Fabric

The diversity of this nation’s unique fabrics will never run out of exposure, just as what is done by a well-known designer namely Merdi Sihombing. This North Sumatran man has for a long time concentrate himself on traditional fabrics and gives solemn care towards the preservation of culture along with its craftsmen. The artistic blood flowing strongly within him has brought Merdi to the world of fashion, a place where he can let out all of his creativity through fabrics and  designs.

“When talking of fabrics, Indonesia comes as an everlasting and magnificent resource. Since the beginning, I already have the aspiration to boost Indonesia, and during the start of my career in the fashion world I saw that in Indonesia there were only a small number of designers who play within the ethnic specialty, and so I decided to enlist in the designer school of Bunka and Esmod,” explained Merdi when met at his residence in Southern Jakarta.

His decision to become a designer who is consistent in exposing traditional fabrics has not always brought him a smooth ride. Often times he is faced by the market demands those are in oppose to this designing principles. “When I first made a designer collection, many disliked and rejected my works, thinking that my designs were bizarre and were not like other designer works,” he reminisced.

However those obstacles he faced when entering the fashion world never brought him down moreover changed his course. For him to adjust and follow the market demand is the same as losing his identity, for as a designer he wishes for his works to be seen as something original, unique and different.

“I am thrilled to find uniqueness of each region, just like when I first exposed “Forbidden Baduy”.

I believe that was the first exposure of Baduy in Indonesia and the world. I did my research by residing there, and since I also have the proper knowledge on textile, it was effortless for me to get in the exposable fabrics and to tell a lot about them,” elaborated the man who has won an award from the international designer community.

This designer whom studied textile in the Jakarta Art Institute (IKJ) also demonstrates his care for the environment. He remembered back in his campus days in IKJ, he was so enthusiastic to learn the natural coloring subject. “I had an intuition and saw many things. I also read that plants have been used as coloring material since a long time ago, and during my visit to Baduy, I saw how much they take care of the environment,” he explained seriously.

The wisdom of local culture to preserve nature seems to have slipped away from the minds of many. Therefore long before the issue of global warming became a significant matter, this man has already began to mobilize the environment friendly program by using only natural colorings in the manufacturing process of his fabrics.

Merdi’s fascination is needless to question. After exposing Baduy as his first line of collection, he also brought the Batak ulos fabric into the national and international fashion shows. He feels as an Indonesian, he has the unwritten obligation to participate in the preservation of cultural heritage.

“The collection of Batak Ulos emerged from my restlessness towards the Batak traditional textile. In reality, there are many wove fabric workers with immensely various types of works, but it’s starting to fade with the shift of era and the fact that ulos is not worn as mush as it should anymore. I face this as a challenge. In making one ulos cloth, many textile processing are engaged, including the tied-woven and songket,” this story-telling designer said.

In the work of the Batak Ulos, he was supported by a foreign party that was also concerned about the environmental issue. Even to date, after he managed to expose the Batak Ulos, as a manifestation of his social responsibility, he continues to give management and guidance for ulos workers for their development. He plans ahead to form those small industries into one collective entity.

“Every time I explore one fabric, I give all I can, such as figuring out how technology can support the traditional woven cloths, ideas, and color composition. This is done of course with the approach acceptable by the workers. I also tutor the use of thread and natural colorings, considering that this is an almost forgotten richness and dedication is required in building this,” claimed this man who intends to found an art center in his hometown.

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ULOS

Ulos is the traditional fabric of the Batak regions and also one of the Batak traditional crafts. I do not know when to start making Ulos Batak society. That said, Ulos has become typical of Batak from the first craft. Even before they knew of textile products, Ulos already made garments daily. However, not all Ulos Batak can be used in everyday life. There are several types Ulos, but each type Ulos can be used only in certain events. Let's say, Ulos Jugia should only be worn by the Batak people who already have grandchildren. There is also Ulos Yeast Life that can be used for various purposes customary. Not only are two kinds of Ulos that alone, there are several other types.

Ulos making process is relatively similar to traditional woven fabrics in general. Ulos piece is made of several strands of yarn that are woven using traditional looms. The craftsmen weaving often called ATBM, Non Woven Machine Tools. To make a piece of cloth Ulos takes a relatively long time. That is why, patience and perseverance is needed when producing a Ulos.

To produce a single strand of Ulos, there are several steps that must be passed. First, the process of weaving yarn. This weaving process to determine the motive or the type Ulos which will be produced. Second, staining the fabric. Typically, the dominant primary color fabric Ulos, Red, Black, and White. Usually, they use natural ingredients to give a basic color yarn ulos.

Once the color is ready, then that has been woven fabric is dipped into the liquid dye. Some say, this process takes a relatively long time. To create a fabric with some color, fabric must be dyed into the dye repeatedly. After weaving and coloring, the next process is drying. After all these stages have been passed, then Ulos can be made in such a way to follow the desired form of craft.

That said, not everyone can make Ulos. Besides requiring a long process, it takes special expertise to make a Ulos. Among craftsmen Ulos, there is such thing as levels of weaving. Levels are based on the number of sticks used to create a motif fabric. For beginners, he is only allowed to make Ulos with simple motifs. Because, to make the motifs are only required some amount of stick only. More and more the motive, the amount of stick that is used will also increase. Usually, the type produced by craftsmen Ulos beginner is scarves. As has been able to weave using the seven pieces stick, he can produce various kinds of cloth or other Ulos.

According to customs Batak, Batak everyone will receive at least three kinds Ulos since his birth until death. First, he will get Ulos when the new born into the world. His name, Ulos Parompa. First, name-alo Ulos Paralo Tondi. Second, Ulos Marjabu. Ulos this will be received when she married. The latter, he will receive Ulos when she died. In the Batak language, was called Saput Ulos.

If the first Ulos produced only for the scarf and sarong kebaya for couples. But now, Ulos also often used as a raw material for making various kinds of handicrafts, such as bags, pillowcases, tablecloths, belts, wallets, or curtains.

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Pangsi

One of the unique clothing for men Sundanese people are pangsi, namely black-and-black outfit whose size wide. Basic materials from cotton. Called one, because of Sundanese traditional clothes for men of course there are others besides pangsi. Other traditional clothes such as shirts.

Pangsi including versatile clothing. Pangsi pencaksilat used for sports, but often also used by farmers, artists, and even officials within the customary festivities. History of pangsi not really clear. But there's a thought comes from the acronym pangsi: Panglima Siliwangi ( Siliwangi commander). Whether it's true or not.

Currently, Sundanese people can not claim to be the only nation pangsi owners, because people were wearing pants pangsi Betawi. Also in other parts of Indonesia, some are wearing pangsi, it's just a different color. Some wore pangsi with white, some are full color.

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Batik

First, there is the impression batik clothing for the elderly, or formal wear for certain ceremonies such as weddings. But now, batik has become a fabric that can be designed as a casual outfit, to be used by all people and all ages. All of that is thanks to the ongoing campaign of batik can be worn by all people with fixed looks elegant. The discovery of batik patterns that are not too stiff, and the design style batik clothing from a more flexible, allowing the batik to casual wear that.

I am proud to be an Indonesian, because it has the best style batik in the world, recognized by UNESCO in 2009. Batik Indonesia declared the best, beat style batik from China, America, Arab, especially Malaysia. Even now, more and more Europeans especially fond of batik batik Indonesian style.

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