Ah. What’s there to say about the body of work put together by Ardistia Dwiasri of Ardistia New York that hasn’t been said?
Vogue describes her aesthetic as “fabulous functional feminine dresses.” ELLE underlines her penchant for wearable utility by describing her clothes as having a “functional beauty.” Harper’s Bazaar notes that what “[differentiates] Ardistia from any other (young) designers is her point of view towards fashion itself. . . . Her concern to market demand with high business instinct makes this young designer advanced in vision.”
All this praise rang true during the showing of her Beauty Voyage collection at Jakarta Fashion Week (JFW) this year. What was interesting about this collection was how it was a mix of her Resort/Cruise and Spring/Summer 2014 collections: not many designers would take the initiative to release two collections in the same show, but seeing as how Ardistia New York sticks to a very specific aesthetic that can distinguish itself from a mile away, the two collections meshed seamlessly on the runway.
Inspired by travel and discovery, the lightweight materials used in this collection would no doubt do well on many an adventure. Knit, crepe-de-chine, light tweeds, and cotton crochets came together with vibrant colors to encourage a spirit of voyage and travel that is hardwired among those who already appreciate Ardistia New York’s gorgeous cutting and finishes.
An important partner of this show was another New York-based institution that was founded by an Indonesian: Deszell wrote about Juara Skincare a few months ago, and my personal interest in it was piqued then. So I was especially excited to learn that not only was Juara actively participating at JFW as a sponsor, but that they also have plans on taking the Indonesian market by storm!
I had the opportunity to speak to the very pleasant Metta Murdaya, the Indonesian-American who ignited the idea of producing a line of cosmetics inspired by jamu. Spurred on bu the need to create, she and her four friends – all professionals with combined decades in the health and beauty business – left their day jobs to create Juara. It is now available online in Indonesia through Zalora and Bobobobo, as well as a number of spas and hotels in Bali and Jakarta, with further plans to appear in department stores in the pipeline.
The collaboration between Ardistia New York and Juara was perfect: two New York-based brands founded by Indonesians, who found their footing in the Big Apple before returning to their home turf. Welcome home!
