http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifelived/rethinking-made-in-indonesia-on-your-fashion-label/567566
I recently had an interview with the people behind Le Slip Français, a successful underwear brand in France. But I'm not gonna talk about the underwear business, however sexy it could be. Instead, I'd like to share how their story has reawakened one question I had some time ago: Can the passion of fashion go along with the pride of putting the "Made in Indonesia" label? And if you're an Indonesian fashionpreneur, yes, this question goes to you.
But first of all, a brief story of Le Slip Français. It was 27-year-old Guillaume Gibault who launched the brand in September 2011 out of a bet with his friends that the "Made in France" slogan can actually sell. French people might be proud of wearing underwear from Armani, Calvin Klein and DKNY, but Gibault believed that his "Made in France" premium undies could also win their hearts.
Exploiting the slogan whenever he could — on the logo, products and packaging — Gibault also picked the colors of the French flag for the undies and benefited from the 2012 French presidential election to promote the brand. Long story short, the young entrepreneur won the bet. On the 10th month, he was able to sell some 10,000 briefs, each of which was sold at a starting price of 26 euro ($35).
Gibault's enthusiasm in making "Made in France" a catchphrase reminded me of my interview with an Indonesian fashionpreneur a few years ago. She might be not famous, but her bags are — they are worn by A-list people like Paris Hilton, Emma Thompson, Princess Zara Phillips and Audrey Tautou, as well as being featured in several foreign magazines.
At first I was very proud — I thought, hey, finally, an Indonesian brand! Who knows that some years from now, people don't only talk about LV, Hermes, Chanel... but also about this Indonesian brand. Sadly however, after the interview, I was disappointed by the fact that she was reluctant to put the "Made in Indonesia" label. This, she said, was because the materials of the bags weren't from Indonesia: the laces were from France, the stones were from Africa, and so on. It truly puzzled me. I mean, the bags were made in West Jakarta.
I couldn't help but wondering if there were other reasons for not putting the label and for not even mentioning "Indonesia" in the brand's marketing plan. I thought maybe "Indonesia" doesn't sell, especially when you aim for London, Paris, Milan and New York. Or maybe, just maybe, it's not cool to pin "Made in Indonesia" on your fashionable items. I mean, you're not H&M, Zara or Mango, whose products will still be sought after even if they're manufactured in some third-world countries.
I just hope none of the reasons above was true, though. Imagine if it was, considering how talented Indonesian fashionpreneurs are, and how they could actually take Indonesia to the center stage of the fashion constellation. I mean, we can be more than just a country known as the manufacturing place of global fashion products. We can actually be the one where famous fashion brands are born. Singapore made it with Charles & Keith, so we could too.
I know there are some Indonesian fashion brands sold abroad, but I'm not sure whether or not they proudly disclose their origin. But in another case, I remember my French friends complimented those UP shoes created by Indonesian fashion-blogger turned entrepreneur Diana Rikasari when I showed them online. And with the "Made in Indonesia" slogan being proudly mentioned, I'm sure they would never forget this country, along with those pretty shoes.
I also remember those two times when I took some foreign friends to the Damn I Love Indonesia! boutique owned by presenter Daniel Mananta. They had some fun checking the inner part of each T-shirt to read the brief Indonesian folktales printed inside it.
And I could never forget those excitement every time I showed this one website to my non-Indonesian friends: www.tulisan.com. Tulisan has the cutest and prettiest printed bags and totes I've ever seen — and it proudly mentions "Jakarta" on its label.
The creator, Melissa Sunjaya, said, "Jakarta is not London, Paris, New York or many other great cities. Nevertheless, true beauty does not always spring from gorgeous cities, but it comes from staying true to who we are."
If I see the bags, I don't just see bags — I see stories and feel the passion. I found honesty and a genuine identity. Something that I couldn't find in those high-class bags that traveled from West Jakarta to across the world, then ended up in the hands of Paris Hilton, Emma Thompson, Princess Zara and Audrey Tautou.
But first of all, a brief story of Le Slip Français. It was 27-year-old Guillaume Gibault who launched the brand in September 2011 out of a bet with his friends that the "Made in France" slogan can actually sell. French people might be proud of wearing underwear from Armani, Calvin Klein and DKNY, but Gibault believed that his "Made in France" premium undies could also win their hearts.
Exploiting the slogan whenever he could — on the logo, products and packaging — Gibault also picked the colors of the French flag for the undies and benefited from the 2012 French presidential election to promote the brand. Long story short, the young entrepreneur won the bet. On the 10th month, he was able to sell some 10,000 briefs, each of which was sold at a starting price of 26 euro ($35).
Gibault's enthusiasm in making "Made in France" a catchphrase reminded me of my interview with an Indonesian fashionpreneur a few years ago. She might be not famous, but her bags are — they are worn by A-list people like Paris Hilton, Emma Thompson, Princess Zara Phillips and Audrey Tautou, as well as being featured in several foreign magazines.
At first I was very proud — I thought, hey, finally, an Indonesian brand! Who knows that some years from now, people don't only talk about LV, Hermes, Chanel... but also about this Indonesian brand. Sadly however, after the interview, I was disappointed by the fact that she was reluctant to put the "Made in Indonesia" label. This, she said, was because the materials of the bags weren't from Indonesia: the laces were from France, the stones were from Africa, and so on. It truly puzzled me. I mean, the bags were made in West Jakarta.
I couldn't help but wondering if there were other reasons for not putting the label and for not even mentioning "Indonesia" in the brand's marketing plan. I thought maybe "Indonesia" doesn't sell, especially when you aim for London, Paris, Milan and New York. Or maybe, just maybe, it's not cool to pin "Made in Indonesia" on your fashionable items. I mean, you're not H&M, Zara or Mango, whose products will still be sought after even if they're manufactured in some third-world countries.
I just hope none of the reasons above was true, though. Imagine if it was, considering how talented Indonesian fashionpreneurs are, and how they could actually take Indonesia to the center stage of the fashion constellation. I mean, we can be more than just a country known as the manufacturing place of global fashion products. We can actually be the one where famous fashion brands are born. Singapore made it with Charles & Keith, so we could too.
I know there are some Indonesian fashion brands sold abroad, but I'm not sure whether or not they proudly disclose their origin. But in another case, I remember my French friends complimented those UP shoes created by Indonesian fashion-blogger turned entrepreneur Diana Rikasari when I showed them online. And with the "Made in Indonesia" slogan being proudly mentioned, I'm sure they would never forget this country, along with those pretty shoes.
I also remember those two times when I took some foreign friends to the Damn I Love Indonesia! boutique owned by presenter Daniel Mananta. They had some fun checking the inner part of each T-shirt to read the brief Indonesian folktales printed inside it.
And I could never forget those excitement every time I showed this one website to my non-Indonesian friends: www.tulisan.com. Tulisan has the cutest and prettiest printed bags and totes I've ever seen — and it proudly mentions "Jakarta" on its label.
The creator, Melissa Sunjaya, said, "Jakarta is not London, Paris, New York or many other great cities. Nevertheless, true beauty does not always spring from gorgeous cities, but it comes from staying true to who we are."
If I see the bags, I don't just see bags — I see stories and feel the passion. I found honesty and a genuine identity. Something that I couldn't find in those high-class bags that traveled from West Jakarta to across the world, then ended up in the hands of Paris Hilton, Emma Thompson, Princess Zara and Audrey Tautou.