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Biyan
Wanaatmadja
 Biyan Wanaatmadja
is a
dignified presence. The soft-spoken designer does not rabbit on
garrulously as an ego gone wild (no need to fear a Marc Jacobs-style
radical reinvention or John Galliano publicity stunt from him), but
lets his reputation for crafting sumptuously ethereal creations speak
for him. From the mid-1980s, celebrities and career women with a
little extra cash on hand have flocked to him to make them feel like
earth angels. He sells his designs abroad and recently branched out
into the lifestyle concept of Biyan Living, but he is still taking
things slowly. “I don’t like to move too fast,” he says in his sedate
South Jakarta studio. “Sometimes people tell me, ‘you have to move
faster,’ but I believe we have to listen to ourselves. That’s our best
friend.”
Jeans
and white shirt
That’s
my daily equipment for going to work every day. It’s casual but it
can be formal. Best of all it’s not complicated. I like straight-cut
jeans; they make me look slimmer even though I’m not that slim.
Dogs
I have
three dogs; two golden retrievers and a labrador. They are like my
family to me.
Cologne
I like
citrusy smells that keep you feeling fresh during the day. I like
several different types but it always goes back to the same thing: the
right ingredients and it isn’t artificial, because it shouldn’t make
you smell like you just came out of a perfumery. The fragrance must
blend with your personality and your body. That is most important
about cologne and perfumes.
Tolstoy’s A Calendar of Wisdom
It’s
like soul nourishment for me. With everything moving so fast, it’s
easy to forget the essence of life of itself. This is a good book to
remind you. It opens your mind to being positive and kind. It’s easy
to understand because it’s about daily life. It’s such an old book but
it shows that the problems we are facing now really haven’t changed
from 100 years ago.
Crossgrain Ribbon
I love
this; it gives you the feeling of using something from the past but
it’s luxurious. All fashion designers start with the basics in
tailoring. There is a certain attachment to it. There is a history
behind it.
Painting
I am
interested in modern Indonesian painting. I think Indonesian art is
among the most important today in southern Asia after China. I found
this work, Sepanjang Hidup (All Through Life) by a young
Balinese artist, Waka. I love the philosophy behind it: a duck farmer
who has been very faithful to his livelihood from the time he was
young until when he is old, and can no longer count his ducks
anymore.
Pilates
I had a
problem with my breathing a while ago. I don’t do heavy exercise but I
do exercise regularly. I like to stretch and balance at the end of the
day. Many of us forget to breathe properly when we are busy, occupied
with many things or talking to people. The right breathing has to be
through our body. I have been doing pilates for about two years and I
feel good results.
Chinese
Statuette
This figurine (“Fat Lady” from the Tang dynasty) is amazing to me. The
shape is so simple, yet at the same time so rich and modern,
uncluttered. I try to visualize how people lived at that time by
looking at it. Modern is one thing, but we also have to be able to
learn from the past.
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Bruce Emond
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