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An Introduction to The Indonesian Dressmaker / Couture House Aiming For World Domination

If you’ve never heard about the brand Sapto Djojokartiko, don’t worry, but do start taking notes.

Here’s a little introductory piece – purely in the spirit of Indonesian solidarity and overall adoration for his work – about Indonesian dressmaker Sapto Djojokartiko and his brand which takes after his name, and why you should keep a look out for it.

As an Indonesian kid growing up with dreams of working in the fashion industry, I’ve always thought that my country has so much to offer the fashion world. Our gigantic size holds such a diverse set of ethnicities with so many beautiful cultures that’s just begging to be explored. Much like other heritages from other parts of the world, our culture is rich in folklore, traditions, and rituals which, when looked at with the eyes of a 21st century citizen, has a rather mystical appeal to it. This diversity is easily visible. From the triangular headdresses of the Minangkabaunese in Sumatra to the fierce war-paint worn by the Dani tribe in Papua, all these cultures help enrich Indonesia’s heritage until today.

Throughout the years, I’ve seen a handful of Indonesian brands try and in their own ways, fail, in promoting our colorful culture in a way that will make other people from other parts of the world curious enough to question and explore this culture of ours. I felt that no one has had the potential to breakthrough foreign markets, at least for me personally. That is, until Sapto Djojokartiko.

Sapto Djojokartiko is an Indonesian couture house conceived in 2007. They create the most whimsical, ethereal pieces of artwork in the form of dresses using tulle, organza, silk and velvet that just makes you want to glide your hands through it and do a little twirl, just because. They also offer more banal, daily wear such as blouses and their most coveted mules.

Ever since their birth, this brand has entirely been an exploration of the many faces of Indonesian culture. From its participation in the 2012 Fashion Nation where they unveiled a collection dubbed ‘Sang Randeng Girah’, an ode to a Javanese and Balinese folklore, Calon Arang, dating back from the 12th century that tells the tales of a witch to presenting the 2013 Spring/Summer Ready To Wear collection with the theme ‘Vastu Vidya’, an interpretation of the architectural philosophy that architecture is more than just what it simply is, but more so a balancing force in every aspect of life. Sapto Djojokartiko would then interpret these philosophies into his dresses by creating delicately intricate designs through embroidery that created patterns spanning the entirety of the dresses. These are just two examples that show there are more ways to innovatively include culture into modern clothing, not only by stamping batikpatterns on snapbacks or backpacks.

Behind this young force demanding to be reckoned with is its’ namesake, Mr. Sapto Djojokartiko himself.

Born in Solo, Central Java, Mr. Sapto Djojokartiko is an Indonesian through and through. In an interview with Fimela.id, Mr. Sapto Djojokartiko remembers vividly being born in a town where tradition and rituals are still very much a part of daily life. This, together with his love of sketching, were the beginnings of the brand’s genesis after 10 years of working in other various fields in the fashion industry (costume designer, stylist, illustrator, you name it).

The reason why I name Sapto Djojokartiko instead of any other, more well-known Indonesian brands, is because of their pride in their roots and what they believe in.

The Sapto Djojokartiko brand is the universal take on the exploration of the multi-faceted face of Indonesian culture. Amongst other more technical reasons, this is why I chose Sapto. They’re not trying to westernize their personality to make them more acceptable in the foreign market, nor are they closed off to the fact that the current world we’re living in is a modern one. They stand proudly with the fact that they are Indonesian close at heart in a quest to spread and celebrate our culture, unique to us. They’ve found the middle-way without losing parts of their selves which makes them much more immune to losing their path and footing, because this is what the world truly admires: staying true to who you are in a time where everyone wants to be the same.

Of course, to this strong foundation is added unrivaled creativity and skilled craftmanship because above all, Sapto Djojokartiko is still a fashion label. But who says fashion labels can’t help spread cultural awareness and nationalism? If anything, fashion has always been the side door towards accepting the diversity that exists in this world.

If you’ve never heard about the brand Sapto Djojokartiko, now you have.

Maria Rumantir, 2019

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