Eddy Betty Frees His Creative Soul With 'Liberté'
Jakarta. One of the most awaited fashion shows in the capital is Eddy Betty's. His shows are usually very well conceptualized and present unique, out-of-the-box collections that really wow the audience.
After a nine-year hiatus, the designer presented his solo fashion show in the ballroom of Raffles Hotel Jakarta on Wednesday (20/09).
"The show is a statement to my friends, clients and media that I still exist [in Indonesia's fashion world]," Eddy said during a press conference before the show.
"It's an honor for us to host Eddy Betty's show," Raffles Hotel Jakarta wedding director Hengki Wirawan said.
"I myself am a fashion lover," Hengki said. "I saw [Eddy's] show nine years ago and was awestruck. Many of our hotel's clients also wear Eddy's dresses to their weddings. Therefore, when I heard that he was planning another fashion show, I immediately approached him and offered him to do it in our venue."
Kaleidoscope
The Dian Ballroom at Raffles Hotel Jakarta was a full house on Wednesday evening.
Themed "Liberté," the show presents 79 women's looks of the designer's first line, "Eddy Betty Haute Couture."
"The collection is inspired by my life's journeys; my days in Paris, as well as my return to Indonesia," the designer said.
Eddy, who was born in Jambi on July 6, 1970, studied fashion at Susan Budihardjo Fashion College (LPTB Susan Budihardjo) in Jakarta in 1989.
After graduating, he moved to Paris to study at Fleuri Delaporte and Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne – some of the best fashion schools in the world's fashion capital. He returned to Indonesia in 1996 and set up his own fashion house in Jakarta.
For the show, the stage in the hotel's ballroom was designed to resemble a white cocoon. And as the song "Say My Name" blared, the cocoon opened and Italian male model Daniele Mazzola emerged wearing skinny black pants, silver crop jacket and a shimmering blue bustier around his waist.
Audience members, who were not expecting to see a male model during Eddy's show, cheered the pleasant surprise.
The bustier is the fashion designer's signature style.
"According to the history of fashion, a bustier was a form of torture of [medieval] women, which limited their physical abilities and movements," Eddy said. "But I've always loved them. I learned to make them at school [in Paris] and then brought [the skills] when I returned to Indonesia."
It's a bit of a contradiction to showcase constricting bustiers in a fashion show themed "Liberté."
"But my bustiers are light and comfortable [to wear]," Eddy said. "All my clients love them."
As if to show his pride in his bustiers, Eddy made them into outer garments that accentuated his dresses during the show.
Some of the bustiers were beautifully laced up, à la the Victorian era, and combined with peplum dresses. Some were adorned with layers of silk and lace and paired with tailored suits.
Many of the items presented during the fashion show were made of rare and exquisite materials, such as Voilette and Toile de Jouy.
"Those are the materials that I've collected and treasured for many years," Eddy said. "But I'm happy to use them for the show tonight."
"I've truly freed myself and my creativity for the show," the designer added.
What's Next for Eddy?
Eddy had been working on his ready-to-wear label "Edbe," which has been discontinued now, during his nine-year hiatus.
"It's every designer's dream to have his own ready-to-wear," Eddy said. "But I think I should really focus on my couture label instead."
The designer confessed that he felt more "liberated" when designing haute couture dresses.
"Dresses have souls," the designer said. "And I feel like I'm really transferring my soul to a client when I'm designing couture dresses."
And unlike some of his colleagues that are aiming for international markets, Eddy prefers to focus on the local market. "I think the Indonesian market is already enough for me," he said.
The fashion show culminated with a model wearing a loose-fitting white T-shirt, boldly emblazoned with the words "I [heart] Me."
Perhaps it's another statement from the designer to always be ourselves and do what makes us happy.
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