Anne Avantie Celebrates 29 Years in Fashion
Jakarta. Senior designer Anne Avantie celebrated her 29-year career in the industry with a gala fashion show titled "Sekar Ayu Sriwedari," or "The Beautiful Garden" during Indonesia Fashion Week 2018 last week.
Known for her elegant kebayas, Anne's contemporary designs have become obligatory party fashion in high society.
But her success did not occur overnight. She started out in the garage of her rented home in Solo, Central Java, in 1989 where she made her own designs with only two sewing machines. She slowly built up her business and expanded to Jakarta, only to see her factory burnt down during the 1998 riots.
She then started traveling back and forth between Jakarta and Semarang in Central Java until she landed a job at a magazine.
It was only in 2003, when she joined the Indonesia Fashion Designers and Entrepreneurs Association (APPMI), that she was able to spread her wings and continue to expand her network.
The association's chairman at that time, Musa Widyaatmodjo, invited her to open a boutique in the Catwalk, a shopping area dedicated to designer stores in Kelapa Gading Mall, North Jakarta.
From magazines to runway floors, Anne's kebayas have attracted many Indonesian women. The designer now counts among her clientele some of the country's top celebrities and government officials.
The Magnificent Collection
The fashion show, which took place in the Plenary Hall of the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan, showcased 100 old and new collections that depict Anne's journey over nearly three decades.
The high-end traditional collections were showcased in nine phases. Each phase celebrated the beauty of Indonesia's traditional textiles and kebayas, loaded with Javanese culture.
The collection used various fabrics, including lace, tutu and satin with intricate embroidery, along with beads and sequins that added an elegant touch to each dress.
The show started with a beautiful rendition of Javanese songs, followed by a runway featuring a series of elegant red and green kebayas, paired with flower-printed traditional fabric and bright-colored shawls.
The second session saw a series of darker-colored long kebayas with simple silhouettes, adorned with crystal beading, inspired by the aurora, or polar lights.
The show was followed by a theatrical performance by prominent Indonesian dancer Didik Nini Thowok and keroncong legend Waldjinah. Lines of celebrities, adorned in pale-colored, yet elegant kebayas, filled the runway stage.
Then classic disco music from the 1960s electrified the air. Lines of models in traditional batik with a modern flare proceeded down the catwalk. A series of black and dark-brown outfits, adorned with bright geometrical patterns, highlighted the show.
From modern and casual kebayas to the most elegant attire for special occasions and wedding ceremonies, Anne Avantie's collection offered a wide array of choices for the audiences to adore.
The fashion show came to an end when a series of gorgeous dark-colored kebayas adorned with intricate golden and silver embroideries, stunned the audience.
Tribute to Waldjinah
During her long career, Anne has befriended many people in the fashion industry, including her clients, celebrities, singers and government officials. She is loved and respected by many for her humble, friendly demeanor.
She has also become friends with Waldjinah over the years, whom Anne said is one of many outstanding Indonesian women she has met in her life.
"I grew up listening to her songs. Like me, she also likes kebaya. We have so many things in common and I want to dedicate today's show to an amazing woman like her," Anne said.
"She has been in the keroncong music industry for so long and I respect and adore her courage to preserve it.
"Kebaya is not only a piece of fabric, but it has a spirit and a soul. The same applies to [Waldjinah]. Keroncong is not only music, but it becomes the pulse and the purpose for her to live."
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