Three Young Muslim Designers

Three talented young Muslim Fashion Designers unleashed their creations for the first time at Indonesia’s latest chic fashion event, Jakarta Fashion Week 2013. Noni Zakiah, Ria Miranda, and Restu Anggraini converged to present their collections in a runway show themed ‘Threelogy’, at JFW on November 8. The show was a collaborative effort between the designers and Rumah Ayu, a Muslimah fashion boutique. A modern twist on traditional Indonesian fabrics was an underlying influence of the ‘Threelogy’ show, albeit in uniquely different ways that characterised each designer’s creative outlook.

Noni Zakiah, opted for an alternative take on her runway show by featuring avantgarde modest couture. She boldly experimented with the use of synthetic leather and Lycra mixed with traditional handmade fabric from Lombok, an island near Bali. The result? Wuhuuuu.. Look futuristic pieces that scream ‘edgy’!!

Ria Miranda, took inspiration from her Minang ethnic heritage and combined it with her usual feminine style. ‘Pastel colours are still my choice for this collection,’ Ria said. Indeed, soft peach, light pink and icy blue dominate Ria’s collection, which heavily features formal wear with girly nuances in Minang songket fabric.

The fluid fabric and angular patterns of Pemalang’s sarung goyor became the medium for Restu Anggraeni‘s creativity. The fabric appeared in various forms throughout her collection: as a roomy shrug, a mermaid skirt, as well as oversized shoulder-padded jackets and pencil trousers.

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Knitting By Young Designer

A catchy title for a column about introducing young designers. Talked up the knitwear duo Leutton Postle aka Jenny Postle and Sam Leutton, who caught attention ever since Jenny Postle's Central Saint Martins graduate MA collection in 2011.

During the summer, whilst the duo were working on their S/S 13 collection, which they showed as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout in September's London Fashion Week. It was a hive of knit trick activity. Leutton and Postle are constantly experimenting with a combination of hand and machine knit techniques, incorporating different yarns together as well as materials. A lot of these experimental samples didn't make it into the final collection. It's hardly a wasted effort though. What didn't work this time round is kept in Leutton and Postle's big basket of sample squares and could potentially be bought out for future collections. The sketches shown here were also initial ideas for S/S 13 that were then scrapped. They look like fertile ideas to pursue later down the line. Leutton Postle are evidently in the fortunate position of having excessive creative output, which they can then edit down when it comes to the final collection. They even had time to knit a wonderful baby blanket.

Hmm.. Toga!

Spring summer 2013 is an equally exciting prospect that sees Yasuka Furuta conveniently slotting right into all vertical stripe action going on for the season with Marc Jacobs being the prime pied piper of this pattern. Furuta was looking at the symmetricality and aerial views of the Palais Royal in Paris as inspiration, which gave way to shrubbery prints and crochet detailing like the manicured trees that line the square and pearl decorations that are like the silver fountain balls in the front courtyard. In the hands of Furuta, the vertical stripe in contrasting vinyl and sheer textures and adorned with ruched up PVC and lurex bows are more interesting ways of wearing this simple pattern. The season will be dominated by the stripe from the high street and beyond, but Toga offers up their own point of difference to this soon-to-be ubiquitous visual. I like the way a sense of the ornate is retained to balance out the stark graphic stripes what with the pearl embellishment, tinsel knits and crochet cardis.

The fabric details..