There’s no other word to describe Biyan’s Annual Show held last Wednesday, 28 July 2010 other than spectacular! When I entered the venue, it was as if the audience were transported to a rugged temple somewhere in central Java. I forgot for a moment there that I was actually at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Mulia. Especially when I looked up to the ceiling, it was like I was truly beneath an open sky lit by thousands of stars. The show opened with traditional music playing softly accompanying the dancers that came out from the back of the ruined temple, sashaying ever so elegantly. The models suddenly came out from the backstage with their mouth-gaping outfits. Celebrating his 27th years in fashion, Biyan wanted to show a collection with a touch of melancholy and sentimental feeling. The title of the collection is ‘As Time Goes By’ – a celebration of heritage and traditions. The collection is inspired by royal and cultural traditional costume because they immediately portray the uniqueness, characteristic as well as the strength of that culture. Biyan said, he wants to give something that although gives the impression that it’s amazingly old, but surprisingly have a modern feel to it.

His signature style could be immediately seen through the earthy and soft tone, feminine looking and flowy style and lots of beading, sequins and crystallized Swarovsky adorning his collection. You see a lot of unstructured pieces, yet still maintaining it’s femininity. Biyan also showed us another dimension to this season style through his eyes. Accentuated shoulders and epaulette constructed by beads.  Military green undergone sleek surgery through the selection of material that is flowy mixed with heavy beading. Outerwear that looked so grand that you wish that you can go everywhere overdressed.

There was this one jacket that I really fall in love with, apparently it was inspired by the structure of javanese traditional costume known as beskap. Biyan translated the javanese beskap into a modern jacket through the choice of textile, ornament adorning the material and patchwork lame jacquard made from different material and thickness thrown into the same piece. And there’s nothing old at all from the evening dresses he made with ikat and songket. All the models walked the runway with the same mary-jane wedge made from different material though barely different detailing. I must give Maria Agnes two thumbs up, she walked nonchalantly down the runway with the extra high heels while you can still see other models look a little bit worried.

There’s one quote from Biyan that I like to share with you all here, that ‘no matter how rich the ornaments are, how difficult and complex the silhouette can be, the reference needed (to wear his design) still comes back to his creativity’. With that said, never forget to be creative and shows your individuality when you’re picking up your outfit for the day.

Now that we have shown you the wonderful world of Biyan’s collection, coming up is the report from the fashion show of this season collection of XSML.