Bali a hotbed for artisans
The retail scene is equal parts varied and vibrant, writes
BALINESE style has been the inspiration for hundreds of coffee table books, thousands of interior design projects and untold numbers of tourist treasure hunts. Now the island has become a hotbed for sophisticated, small-scale international artisans.
Jewellery designer Guy Bedarida calls Bali the ideal back end for any entrepreneur aiming to start a new line. Bedarida, who worked with jewellery legend John Hardy, co-owns and runs design for Marina B, and lives part time in Bali.
He explains that because of globalisation, factories have proliferated there, as in much of the rest of Asia. But Bali’s workshops differ from China’s mega factories. While mainland producers will insist on minimum orders that could run into thousands of pieces, Balinese manufacturers will still agree to do batches as small as a dozen or less.
“It’s the mentality of Bali — nothing is gigantic,” Bedarida said. Smaller runs require smaller financial outlays, enabling smaller, boutique brands to thrive.
Bali allows for a less regimented, more lighthearted and natural approach.
Susanna Perini
AGE-OLD CRAFTSMANSHIP
Just as important as the flexibility of production is Bali’s centuries-old tradition of craftsmanship. The island is renowned for producing beautiful objects since the era (beginning about 1,000 years ago) when it was divided into eight tiny kingdoms, each of whose rulers demanded more sumptuous and elaborate tributes than the other.
“After generations and generations of manufacturing beautiful things, the Balinese have the hands of gods,” Bedarida said. “They can do anything.” It results in an irresistible proposition: small workshops filled with highly skilled locals who can produce artisanal quality goods at remarkably low prices.
Like Bedarida, whose family is from Tuscany, many of the incoming entrepreneurs are Italian. The Genoa-born Paola Zancanaro spent 15 years working in Europe and Asia for brands like Westwood, Armani and Prada before finally opening her own boutique, Namu, inside an airy whitewashed Javanese joglo, or house. Zancanaro learned to design and sew from her grandmother, and her designs draw inspiration from nature -”namu” is Korean for tree. She has earned particular accolades for her locally sourced accessories made from opalescent stingray skin, shagreen.
“The skin we use is bought directly from Indonesian fishermen, who would ordinarily dispose of it after preparing the meat for sale at local markets,” Zancanaro explained. Namu also stocks a capsule assortment of other local brands, like the wood- and shell-based accessories from Cameroonian designer Christian Graciel along with the contemporary batik line Quartzia.
Then there is Biasa, run by Susanna Perini, with seven stores in Bali and Jakarta. Its Bali flagship in bustling Kuta is an explosion of colour, the clothes both floaty and feminine, while two doors down there’s Biasa+, a sprawling concept storelike setup showcasing the capsule menswear collection, jewellery, housewares and a gallery, ArtSpace. Perini, who was born in Rome, has streamlined her aesthetic over almost 25 years of living in Bali -”biasa” means ordinary in Indonesian — and she is keen to stress the deliberate lack of showiness of the clothes she produces in Biasa’s 300-person factory in Bali.
“Bali allows for a less regimented, more lighthearted and natural approach,” Perini said. “We can explore techniques and break boundaries, and produce small numbers of the most complex pieces made with a lot of hand work.”
It is not just Europeans who are developing retail concepts in Bali. Local entrepreneurs have also started successful lines. At his store, Johnny Ramli specialises in accessories with a relaxed, rock star-ish edge that made Brad Pitt a fan: think oxidised, aged precious metals and long slim chains with quirky pendants (once, inspired by a visit to the dentist, he fashioned a jagged tooth).
“My inspiration comes from what I see around me in Bali,” Ramli said. “It’s a good place to have a small workshop for highend products.”
Niluh Djelantik, a cobbler, agrees. Her flagship boutique stands out on the congested streets of Seminyak, Bali’s upscale beach resort. It is splashed with a 3.7-metre high silhouette of a giant red stiletto. Such showy signage is a tip-off to the glamorous shoes inside. Except for an overstuffed golden sofa, the entire store is painted charcoal, an ideal backdrop to showcase her glittery, ornate designs; both Uma Thurman and Gisele Bundchen are fans.
Every shoe is made on the island in Djelantik’s 1,394-square-metre, 28-person workshop; her workers takes such pride in craftsmanship that one cobbler is notorious for noting and recording exactly which pair of shoes he makes.
Another bonus of craftsmen on call, Bali-style: Most shoes are repaired for free, including new leathers, as many times as a customer needs, and bespoke styles can easily be produced per a customer’s specifications.
Not a bad spot for vacation shopping.
NYT