JF3 Fashion Festival 2024

A look into Fuguku and Lakon, two brands upholding tradition in their own way

Since 2004, Jakarta’s fashion scene has been enriched by JF3 Fashion Festival. Every year, craftsmen, small enterprises and young designers are invited to participate in a series of events and runway shows. Fuguku and Lakon are two women-led fashion labels that stand out for featuring  traditional crafts in their runway collections. The festival is supported by the government and industry partners, such as Enjoy Jakarta and Jakarta Creative. JF3 is a project initiated by the real estate construction and development company, Summarecon and held annually at its namesake mall.

Fuguku ‘Way of Water’ Collection at the JF3 Festival. Image courtesy of Fuguku.

Fuguku, ‘Way of Water’

Designer Savira Lavinia founded Fuguku as a way to explore her love for the ocean and fashion design. Her design journey began at the Dutch label Iris Van Herpen, who shares a deep connection with nature. Inspired by her internship, Savira sought out her own path in 3D textile manipulation. After a year of research, Savira landed on a traditional jumputan technique used widely in Sumatra and Central Java. Mimicking the spikes of a pufferfish, or fugu in Japanese, Savira moulds the fabric into the spiked texture that Fuguku is now known for. Committed to sustainability, the textile is fashioned out of recycled plastic bottles.

The work itself also has an altruistic slant. Lavinia devised a work-from-home system that allows housewives to earn an income whilst tending to the household. At first, she approached people she knew personally who were looking for such a flexible arrangement. As business improved, she expanded the network by appointing three leaders to lead and grow the community. 

Fuguku ‘Way of Water’ Collection at the JF3 Festival. Images courtesy of Fuguku.

In Fuguku’s runway presentation, the brand played on variations of their signature Fugu bag, typically a purse in small, midi or maxi size. In this presentation, it was shown in the form of a wristlet or crossbody as well. The rich ombre colours and the movement of the spikes brings to mind thriving sea anemone buffeted by waves. The collection consisted of separates: tube tops, shorts and pencil skirts alongside strappy summer dresses styled with a shrug, headpiece or matching arm warmers. These combinations made for fun ensembles that bobbed, flowed and ebbed down the runway. Cheerful and invigorating, the show encouraged a kind of silhouette that added volume to the body, yet follows its natural line. Models of various shapes and heights were also cast for the show, which added to the conviviality.

Last September, Fuguku showed at Premiere Classe, a Paris Fashion Week trade show that showcases the latest high-end accessory trends for the year. The brand secured contracts from a global clientele, from Dubai to Los Angeles. The brand's focus on textile innovation, social enterprise and business savvy makes them a brand to watch.

Lakon ‘Pasar Malam’ Collection. Video taken from Lakon’s Instagram.

Lakon, ‘Pasar Malam’

Lakon was founded five years ago by self-taught designer Thresia Mareta as a label that engages with local heritage crafts to preserve Indonesian culture. Armed with a background in architecture, Merata delved into ready-to-wear as a means to preserve and support traditional craftsmen working in the textiles industry. Lakon’s mission statement states that it seeks to “explore, remind and maintain” traditional skills passed down from generation to generation. To date, Lakon has worked with over 300 small and medium enterprises to produce their ready-to-wear collections, many of whom are women artisans.  

Lakon “Pasar Malam” Collection at the JF3 Festival. Images taken from Lakon’s Instagram.

This year’s presentation “Pasar Malam” showcased a youthful rendition of everyday dress with a backdrop of a night market. The collection exuded a sense of ease built around two main motifs: baby blue stripes mixed in with Batik prints. For women, striped shirt dresses with charming neckerchiefs, boatneck tops and pleated skirts acted as a counterpoint to the outerwear and shifts featuring traditional floral patterns produced by Batik Dudung Aliesyahbana. “Traditional craftsmanship doesn't have to be ethnic,” explains Merata. Indeed, some of the men’s pieces featured a cyanotype-like print of trees in a park and even shipment tanks with the Lakon logo on them in a tongue-in-cheek gesture. The mix of photography into the collection gave it a modernised umph that set it apart from most brands that utilise Batik in their collections.

For men, Merata designed undershirts, boxer shorts, tank tops, pyjama pants and patchworked blazers for an effortlessly chic look. This collection’s rendition of a traditional technique has a distinctively wearable quality that would appeal to a mass market.