Inspiration flew 9,628 miles to the streets of Manhattan for New York Fashion Week. The Spring/Summer 2019 Indonesian Diversity showcase presented three young designers: Vivi Zubedi, Kimberly Tandra and Coreta Louise.

The show commenced with a traditional Indonesian dance organized by non-profit organization Yayasan Belantara Budaya Indonesia. The performance had the audience entrance, ready to be immersed in the culture.

The show began with Zubedi’s label, VIVI ZUBEDI, inspired by the Moroccan city, Marrakech. The city’s color, architecture, tilework and texture were clearly reflected throughout the collection. Her signature product is a reinvented Abaya designed for the modern Muslim woman, equipt with the brand’s monogram.

After studying away from home for many years in Milan, Tandra paid homage to her flag, culture and country through her collection “Nucleus,” which centers around her hometown, Surabaya.

“The inspiration [for my collection] came from Southeast Asia, far from here, that I call it home,” Tandra said.

Luxurious headdresses placed atop models’ heads proved to be the knockout feature of the show. Wanting to work with graphic lines — her brand signature, Tandra collaborated with an Indonesian headpiece designer G.Liem to bring more angles to the looks.

After a more elaborate collection from Tandra and closing the show, Louise introduced audience members to “more modern, classy and, of course, elegant” looks, as the designer put it herself. Her collection divided up into ready-to-wear, evening gowns, cocktail dresses and the traditional Kebaya — a blouse-dress combination which serves as Indonesia’s national costume. Each piece drew inspiration from tropical lands of Indonesia with a color palette of mustard yellow, bright greens and black to provide eye-popping shadows.

To close out the show, models walked in pairs, basking in the praise and what the show symbolizes for minority designers. Continuing the legacy, this year’s show provided a platform for these Indonesian designers to showcase their work and skills to the world.

Email Daniel Benitez at [email protected].