For many of us, college years are probably the happiest and most enjoyable moments in our lives.
During those years, our minds expanded with knowledge, and many of us learned useful life skills that would prove invaluable in our futures.
For fashion students, college years are also very exciting.
“The [fashion] students learn the history of fashion, types of textiles, drawing, pattern-making, and many other exciting skills during college,” said Susan Budihardjo, founder and headmistress of Susan Budihardjo’s Fashion Designing College (LPTB Susan Budihardjo), one of the pioneering schools of fashion in the country.
LPTB Susan Budihardjo, which was first established in 1980, has given birth to some of the country’s most talented fashion designers, including Adrian Gan, Denny Wirawan, Didi Budiardjo and Sebastian Gunawan.
The fashion college, which operates in Jakarta, Surabaya and Semarang, offers one-year fashion design classes and has hundreds of young students.
Dreams vs reality
Number 1’s new garments are themed ‘branding,’ ‘Wi-fi’ and ‘in motion,’ and will be available soon at Metro department stores. (Photo courtesy of Arselan Ganin)
Yet, fashion is not all glamour.
For the students, studying fashion also means burning the midnight oil to complete endless home assignments.
And for their graduation day, the students usually have to prepare a special collection to present in a gala fashion show before their parents and hundreds of established fashion designers and fashionistas.
After a rigorous study program, these graduates usually feel that they have been sufficiently equipped to face the tough world of fashion ahead.
But they’re in for a surprise. In the real world, no matter how well they have prepared themselves at school, it is usually a whole different game.
“Fresh graduates are usually at a loss as to how they should start their career,” said Susan, who studied at London Fashion Design School in the UK and the Richard Robinson Academy of Fashion in Canada.
Many of the fresh graduates choose to focus on high fashion, making custom-made items for private clients.
“It’s definitely easier for beginners in the industry [to start with highfashion],” Susan said. “They just have to please individual clients. And with high fashion, the designers can let their imagination run free, so it’s actually more fun to work on.”
And yet, in the long run, it would be difficult for designers to develop their talents, fame and success by only focusing on individual clients.
“The Indonesian retail market has untapped potential for local designers,” Susan said. “International fashion retailers are keen to exploit our potential and enter our market.”
That’s why we are now seeing a lot of international brands in malls and department stores in major cities in Indonesia.
But when fresh local talents want to enter the market, they are met with a lot of challenges.
“[The young designers] usually send out samples of their collections to department stores,” Susan said. “But there are very few, if any, department stores that would receive previously unknown labels.”
There is a solid reason why department stores are usually very selective in curating new labels for their stores.
“We occupy premium retail spaces with very high rents,” said Askarina Christin, assistant general manager of Metro department stores in Indonesia. “That’s why we have to be very selective to make sure that the ones we choose for our stores will sell well.”
(Photo courtesy of Arselan Ganin)
With an understanding of her students and the fashion industry, last year Susan set up a new ready-to-wear label, “Number 1 by LPTB Susan Budihardjo,” for fresh graduates of her school.
“It’s our concrete support to our alumni in entering the fashion industry,” Susan said.
With Number 1, LPTB Susan Budihardjo is the first fashion college in Indonesia to give birth to a fashion label.
“Anyone who graduates from our school may join Number 1,” Susan said. “But first, they must pass the preliminary tests and interview process.”
Those who want to join should also sign a contract to stay with Number 1 for at least one year.
Eleven fresh graduates from LPTB Susan Budihardjo last year joined the label.
Each year, these young designers create a new collection for Number 1 and present them at a fashion show.
Last year, they presented their debut collection at the graduation fashion show of LPTB Susan Budihardjo.
Their first collection was sporty daily items for men and women, embellished with glow-in-the-dark patterns.
Metro department stores curated the collection and displayed some of the garments in their stores.
“We allowed them a lot of flexibility,” Askarina said. “They supplied to three of our stores on a consignment basis. And they don’t have to provide their own sales promotion girls at the stores.”
Did it sell well?
“Well, as beginners, the sales of their collection were up and down,” Askarina said.
“Some of their items are too edgy and our customers felt reluctant to wear them.”
But these fresh graduates have learned a lot from their first collection.
In the second year, they have become much better at understanding what the clients desire and translating that into their designs.
Recently, Number 1 presented their 2015 collection at The Hall, Senayan City, South Jakarta.
The show was also the first solo fashion exhibition for Number 1.
‘Ubiquitous mod’
(Photo courtesy of Arselan Ganin)
Themed “Ubiquitous Mod,” the 2015 collection from Number 1 consists of three sub-themes, which are “branding,” “Wi-fi” and “in motion.”
All the themes are concocted by Susan and the 11 young designers of Number 1.
“We’re inspired by today’s lifestyle in big cities in Indonesia,” Susan said.
“Branding,” for example, refers to the multifarious brands and promotions that we find throughout Indonesian society.
“These brands subconsciously induce us into consumerism,” said Emiliana, one of the designers currently at Number 1.
Through these young designers, the brands are digitally merged into bold patterns, which are applied to crop tops, blouses and T-shirts.
These tops, made of cotton, are paired with shorts, flared skirts and jackets made of black faux leather for the fashion show. Neon-hued embellishments generate a bold and sassy look for the collection.
The “Wi-fi” theme, on the other hand, addresses today’s demands for seamless Internet connectivity.
“Wi-fi may bring us closer those we are apart from,” said Afina Meyandra, one of the designers at Number 1. “But on the other hand, it can also separate those who are close by.”
The duality of Wi-fi was portrayed in an androgynous collection dominated by white. Black stripes in the pattern of the Wi-fi symbol enhanced some of the items.
Structured, loose-fitted tops and dresses in rigid H-silhouette represent the individualistic tendencies of those addicted to the Internet.
This cool impression of the models in the fashion show was highlighted with trapezium-shaped sunglasses by Indonesian jewelry designer Rinaldy A. Yunardi.
“I’ve never made anything like these [sunglasses] before,” Rinaldy said. “It turns out making something simple yet chic is very difficult.”
“In Motion” portrays the dynamic lifestyle of today’s urban people.
“They’re always on the move, from sunrise to sunset,” said Anindiya Dwi Putri, one of the designers at Number 1. “That’s why their needs are simple, flexible and fashionable.”
This collection is dominated by black, as the color is deemed versatile and can be worn at almost every occasion. Some of the items are embellished with prints of stylized city skylines with the sun setting in the background.
The collection, which mainly consists of oversized T-shirts and sweaters with attractive color blocks and prints, received a long round of applause from the audience.
Response
Indonesian shoe designer Yongki Komaladi expressed his appreciation for the show.
“I admire these young people,” he said. “They have great potential and the willingness to work hard. I’m sure that they’ll grow to become great fashion icons in the future.”
“It’s definitely better than their previous collection,” said Askarina from Metro department stores. “The items are more chic and wearable. I’m sure that they will sell well at our stores.”
The Number 1 collection will be available at Metro in Plaza Senayan, Pondok Indah and Gandaria City malls starting from December.
“We’ll divide the collections into several different seasons,” Askarina said.
The main seasons at Metro department stores are Christmas/New Year 2014/2015, Spring/Summer 2015 and Idul Fitri 2015.
It looks like Susan’s dream is becoming a reality.
“I just want Number 1 to be a local brand by young fashion designers that are highly esteemed in the market,” she said.
“I want to prove to everyone that these young designers, when they’re truly dedicated [to their profession] and guided in the right way, they can also make it in the fashion world.”
For more about the school and fashion label, check out susanbudihardjo.com
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