Fashion Flair
Indonesian designer Sebastian Gunawan shares with Maina A. Harjani his endeavours as a high-end designer, his take on the fashion scene in Indonesia, and his thoughts on the rise of the digital era
ecognised as an Asian Couturier Extraordinaire by the Asian Couture Federation, Sebastian Gunawan is a man of stature, honesty, and charm when it comes to doing what he’s best at: fashion designing. Regarded as one of the country’s most sought-after designers, Sebastian began his journey some 25 years ago upon completing courses in Los Angeles and Italy.
“I was about 9 when I took a particular interest in the way my mother and sisters dressed up before going for an occasion,” Sebastian says. “I didn’t know then that I wanted to be a designer, but I did like the way everything had to come together—the clothes they wore, with a matching handbag and a pair of shoes, as well as the accessories that came into place. The whole idea of having to sync while dressing up gradually built upon me.”
Not too long after, he realised that he had a penchant for sketching and took an interest in that too. With a sharp pair of eyes, determination, education, phenomenal sketching skills, and together with his wife and creative partner, Cristina Panarese, the label Sebastian Gunawan was born. Fashion to Sebastian is beyond the garments and apparel that are used to protect one’s skin. To him, it is mainly about designing a character and the five elements that come with it: social, political, economic, religious, and cultural, and especially in Indonesia, where the fashion industry is relatively different from the rest of the world.
“In today’s terms, fashion is no longer a singled-out industry but constitutes people’s characteristics that come together as one,” he explains. Indonesia is a country filled with heritage and culture, especially where art is concerned. Local produce such as batik, tenun and ikat are being brought into the limelight by upcoming designers, according to Sebastian.
And even though Sebastian incorporates minimal printed local material that influences the motif of his designs, which are generally made from imported fabric, he believes that the new, younger generation is taking a creative twist on what is already available of the raw materials.
“Young designers are always on the lookout to give the crowd something fresh, so it is good to see that they are doing just that. Especially with the rise in social media applications, a majority of Indonesians are taking advantage of producing and selling goods online,” says Sebastian, who has clients as far away as the United Arab Emirates thanks to social media.
Other than his premium Sebastian Gunawan Couture, Sebastian decided to launch VOTUM, a ready-to-wear line in 1995, Sebastianred, a deluxe ready-to-wear line in 2000 and Sebastiansposa, his bridal line in 2006. To Sebastian, competition is not a word in his dictionary of life—instead, he and his wife Cristina consider themselves lucky for all the opportunities that come their way. Every year, a considerable amount of time, effort, and money are spent on creating his fashion shows, but every year Sebastian Gunawan puts on the ramp some of his most incredible collections. “I choose not to compete with anyone in the market, but to be better than the person I was yesterday,” he concludes.