Sahara Chic

On Biyan Wanaatmaja’s stretch of desert, you don’t need camels. But your beauty  blossoms in the otherwise arid landscape, and thankfully it’s no mirage.  

If you manage to secure a coveted seat at one of the designer’s shows, you will see that most of the people in the crowd are those who get to say what’s in and what’s out for the season. This year, they flocked to see Biyan’s annual fashion show themed around the parched heat of the desert.

Biyan’s trip to the Sahara did not open with a pack of camels running amok, mind you. On the contrary, a beautiful woman strutted out onto a stage that borrowed the famous image of a desert landscape. The stage’s only decoration was dry soil. Models, their faces and build showing their different racial descent, paraded practical designs presented in a variety of colors, particularly brown, black or gray, or a combination of all three.

There were different choices to be had, such as a wraparound skirt, pleated silk satin one-piece, two-part couture, bermudas and sleveless tops as well as jodhpurs. Light, casual and practical with easy combinations in a ready-to-wear approach, Biyan is able to turn the simplest design into something feminine and elegant.

Following the parade of casual wear, fit to be worn to a shopping mall or park, was luxurious evening wear modeled by Tracy Trinita, the feline-like beauty who returned to the catwalk after a long period out of the spotlight.

Biyan’s loose silhouettes for his luxurious designs are also practical and easy to mix-and-match with items from his previous collections. Trendy bulky high-heels are also part of the show as accessories to his beautiful work.

This time around, Biyan does not showcase too many silhouettes or design options, but offers a package of various materials. From plain colors to light and heavy sequins, as well as an intimate touch of tiny roses made of the same fabric add astonishing detail to the practical tops.

“Don’t complicate things,” is the message I received after watching the one-hour fashion show. Whether you’re looking for something light or more substantial to wear to the mall or a party, Biyan underscores the need to be practical. Even the hairdos donned by the models reflected his message, showing that one does not need the ubiquitous bouffant to look elegant (that is a hairdo which, I think, sometimes makes women look like they have had a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting). Any hairstyle works with these designs.

Life is already complicated as it is, there’s no need to complicate your attire. An established designer who has worked his way up the fashion ranks, Biyan knows what he is talking about.

+ Samuel Mulia

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