Oscar Lawalata and the Allure of Javanese Dance

Oscar Lawalata never fails to imbue his creations with cultural messages. His show on the fourth day of Jakarta Fashion Week 2015, Tuesday, 4 November, 2014, was no exception. Together with the Dutch cultural center in Jakarta, Erasmus Huis, Lawalata presented a ready-to-wear collection entitled “The Ceremony of Java”. 

In creating this collection, Lawalata was inspired by the procession carried by third century Bedaya  dancers. The collection looked even more dashing with accessories by Mada van Gaans, a Dutch designer who has lived in Yogyakarta for the past three years. Van Gaans’ designs displayed the silhouette of pewayangan  and the beauty of natural landscape.

A total of 48 apparels were revealed by Lawalata, some of which came with motifs resembling dodot traditional dress, the costume for Bedaya dancers. Nevertheless, the overall look of Lawalata’s collection was modern and sophisticated with minimalist and loose design.

One-shoulder overalls adorned with buckled belt to define hips, jumpsuits, spaghetti-strapped sleepwear, even kimono-style and robe-style outerwear appeared in shades of black, blue, and emerald green with batik motifs given a touch of sparkly gold lines or prada. Soft and light-weight materials like silk looked edgy with twist and drapery techniques which emphasized a dancer’s figure. As a final touch, the looks were completed with chic transparent plastic mules.