Fashion is one of the leading creative economy sub-sectors. Moreover, the sub-sector is dominated by creative and innovative young people who play an important role in supporting the development of the 2023 fashion trend.

In an effort to improve the creative economy sub-sector, creative fashion industry players continue to develop fashion trends in Indonesia. Having its own charm, it’s no wonder that fashion trends in Indonesia have always caught the attention of many domestic and foreign fashion lovers.

It is predicted that 2023 fashion trend in Indonesia will be dominated by more ready-to-wear collections. Practical and suitable for everyday use, this is the reason why the ready-to-wear collections are in great demand. 

Beside presenting a collection of t-shirts and blouses, the ready-to-wear collections, which will be popular in 2023, will also be enlivened with a large collection of dresses, pants, and skirts that can make your appearance look more attractive.

Knit wear is also included in the 2023 fashion trend in Indonesia. It can create a classic-style appearance and is easy to match with any outfit, making knit wear attractive among fashion lovers.

A 2023 fashion trend that is no less interesting to follow is the use of “wastra Nusantara” (traditional fabric of Indonesia) as formal and non-formal clothing. 

Illustration: Indonesian wastra applied in fashion show event (Shutterstock/Ahmad Saifulloh)

Wastra in Modern Fashion Mode

The inclusion of wastra in the 2023 fashion trend is certainly a very good start in promoting tourism and Indonesia’s creative economy, as the beauty of wastra motifs will be the hallmark of Indonesia fashion.

Quoted by Media Indonesia, Chairman of the Indonesia Fashion Chamber (IFC), Ali Charisma, agreed that cultural elements in fashion sector will be even more dominant in 2023.

It is showed by featuring wastra as inspiration in fashion events in Indonesia. One of them is the 2023 Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) which will feature various collections of the best wastra with a touch of Gorontalo culture, including karawo embroidery.

The inclusion of wastra into the 2023 fashion trend will certainly help preserve Indonesian culture through the development of the fashion creative industry. In addition to introduce Indonesia more widely, it is expected that the popularity of wastra could also drive the economy. Especially for local craftsmen of wastra.

Types of Indonesian Wastra

Quoted by Kompas.com, Indonesian wastra is a traditional fabric with different ways of making and motifs. Usually, Indonesian wastra has very distinctive meaning and philosophies, both from the symbols and color dimension used.

Indonesian wastra that is already popular is a batik fabric. Designated by UNESCO on October 2, 2009 as Humanitarian Heritage of Oral and Intangible Culture, batik is a highly valued wastra because of its complicated manufacturing process.

Beside batik, there are many other Indonesian wastras that are too valuable to miss. One of them is "songket" cloth - a wastra which is a type of traditional handwoven cloth of the Malay family in Indonesia.

For your information, songket cloth is a wastra made of golden and silvery threads. The weaving process is also quite complicated and is done manually. It takes up to months to complete a single songket.

There is also ikat cloth, an Indonesian wastra woven from strands of warp threads that have been dipped in a natural dye. Uniquely, this wastra has various motifs that hold many deep meanings.

Another type of popular wastra is woven fabric. Made from wood fiber, cotton, and silk, woven fabric is known for its detailed and meaningful motifs. 

Cover: A fashion show showcasing Indonesian fabrics in modern fashion (Shutterstock/Reza Syathir)