by Hayati Nupus
JAKARTA, July 31 (Xinhua) -- When designing Cloud Dancer for the opening of Indonesia Fashion Week 2026, designer Melanie Rianti was inspired by the movements of dancers, the sense of freedom at the edge of the horizon, and exquisite clouds.
She transformed the idea into an off-white design featuring an off-the-shoulder balloon-sleeve top and a mermaid dress with geometric panels, with "kembang goyang" applications inspired by the traditional Betawi flower-shaped snack. The creation walked the runway alongside dozens of other designers' works.
"For me, Cloud Dancer is about translating a sense of freedom and simplicity into a piece of art rather than merely creating a garment, because a design does not need to be extravagant to be recognized," Melanie told Xinhua after the opening ceremony in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Every year, hundreds of designers, brand owners, fashion houses, artisans, and micro, small, and medium businesses participate in Indonesia Fashion Week, which aims to promote traditional textiles and the nation's cultural heritage while bolstering Indonesia's fashion sector. The event includes exhibitions and fashion shows, as well as business matching sessions, export talks, and creative forums.
Held from July 29 to August 3, 2026, this year's Indonesia Fashion Week features designers from several countries, including Malaysia and India, along with trade representatives from 32 countries.
For Melanie, her fashion works were strongly linked to the Baduy Indigenous people's way of life in Banten Province, which emphasizes peace, simplicity, and contact with nature.
These principles are reflected in her designs, which prioritize simple, useful, and timeless cuts with meticulous attention to detail, structure, and balance.
Melanie uses native Baduy weaves for most of her creations, but she also adds cultural aspects from Betawi and other tribes to enhance her artistic expression.
This approach is further reinforced by her background as an architect, since she feels that fashion and architecture are similar in that they both convert ideas from nothing into creations that blend beauty, purpose, and significance.
Agia Sakmiwata, owner of a Bandung-based fashion store named Ethniq Couture, was another designer showcasing Indonesia's traditional textiles at Indonesia Fashion Week 2026 with her pieces "Unbound Sengkang," which turns Sengkang woven sarongs from the Bugis community in South Sulawesi into modern fashion pieces.
The collection combines Sengkang sarongs with organza fabric and traditional bodo clothes featuring five designs dominated by red, black, and white, symbolizing the bravery and resilience of Sulawesi culture.
"Unbound Sengkang refers to freeing oneself from constraints and challenging the notion that elderly people exclusively use sarongs for domestic purposes. We turn them into a variety of fashion pieces that can be worn by individuals of all ages and backgrounds, such as ready-to-wear dresses, skirts, trousers and outerwear," Agia said.
Agia, who entered the fashion field in 2012, is renowned for her daring, contemporary, and whimsical designs that include a variety of traditional Indonesian textiles, such as Garut and Tasikmalaya batik from West Java and Sumba ikat from East Nusa Tenggara. Her items have been sold in Oman, Australia, and the United States, and her fashion design has been shown in Malaysia and Singapore.
Additionally, she donates a portion of her fashion business's earnings to a scholarship boarding school that offers orphans and kids from low-income families free housing and education. Dozens of junior and senior high school students are supported by the initiative.
Poppy Dharsono, president of Indonesia Fashion Week, said that the nation's fashion sector must keep expanding by enhancing cooperation between creativity, culture, and innovation.
Poppy said, "Indonesia's fashion industry must continue to maintain a balance between tradition and innovation, between local wisdom and global competition, and between cultural values and the future of the creative industry."■
