Fashion Show by Merdi Sihombing x Humbang Kriya in Simangulampe

JAKARTA - What if two very creative friends who care about society and the environment unite? Of course a great work will be created. That is what was proven by designers Merdi Sihombing and Dumasi Marisina M. Samosir, Director of PT Asuransi Sinar Mas and mentor of Rumah Kreatif Sinar Mas.

Through the fashion show "Simangulampe" Merdi Sihombing x Humbang Kriya, their great works were displayed. The event, which was held on November 16, 2024 in the Sunken Area of ​​the National Museum of Indonesia, was part of a series of events for The Flying Cloth, a celebration of Merdi Sihombing's 25 years of working in the fashion industry.

Merdi Sihombing's collaborative journey with the UMKM fostered by Rumah Kreatif Sinar Mas, Humbang Kriya, began in 2016. At that time Dumasi invited Merdi to help train UMKM Humbang Kriya actors in the Dolok Sanggul area, North Sumatra.

"Through Humbang Kriya, I am trying to revive the tie-dye culture by teaching it to Humbang Kriya craftsmen. What I teach is not only how to make it, but also the dyes, all of which come from nature," explained Merdi.

That's where Humbang Kriya's flagship product, Humbang Shibori, emerged. "Humbang Shibori is a product that is very popular because of its unique motifs and the fabric is also comfortable to wear. In addition, this product supports sustainable fashion through its natural dyeing technique," said Dumasi.

Dye Materials from Hotel Waste

Since the beginning, Humbang Kriya craftsmen have used natural materials as natural dyes for their fabrics, such as grass, wood, and other plants. Well, in 2024, Merdi came up with a new idea for Humbang Kriya to use hotel kitchen waste as a dye for Humbang Shibori fabric.

"Currently, we are working with Coffee Hotel Ayola Dolok Sanggul (CHADS) to collect their kitchen waste, such as potato peels, turmeric, carrots, and various fruits. This waste will be boiled until the color comes out, then the water is filtered. Well, the cloth that has been tied will be soaked in that water. The soaking process also has to be done repeatedly so it takes a long time," explained Dumasi.

Although this time it has only collaborated with one hotel, Dumasi hopes that in the future there will be more hotels that are willing to work together in donating their kitchen waste.

An offering for Simangulampe

Merdi said that this fashion show was full of stories. In addition to stories about Humbang Kriya products, this fashion show is also a special offering for the residents of Simangulampe Village, North Sumatra who experienced an earthquake and landslide in 2023.

"Several residents of Simangulampe Village participated in making Humbang Shibori cloth that was displayed in this fashion show. So, we are helping them to get a new source of income after their area was hit by a disaster," said Dumasi.

A short film about the experiences of craftsmen from Simangulampe who participated in making Humbang Shibori cloth was also shown at the beginning of the show.

There were 15 collections presented by Merdi Sihombing x Humbang Kriya that night. This collection is silk cloth with Humbang Shibori motifs combined with songket and ulos woven cloth from Merdi Sihombing.

The bright colors of Merdi's woven cloth look harmonious with the softer Humbang Shibori cloth with typical natural colors. As a complement, Merdi also added craft bags from purun plants and accessories from recycled glass and silver craftsmen.

As for the fashion design, Merdi was inspired by the historical journey of traditional Batak clothing which began to be influenced by Malay culture.

"I want to show the journey of Batak Clothing through this show. So, when Malay culture began to enter Batak culture, Batak women wore baju kurung. Well, most of the Humbang Shibori collection I made into baju kurung which I combined with Merdi Sihombing woven fabric," explained Merdi.

Dumasi felt grateful to receive support from many parties in running the Humbang Kriya Creative House project. One of them was the Indonesian Srikandi Business and Finance Community who became models in this fashion show. A number of female figures who appeared in this fashion show, including Aviliani, Vera Eve Lim, Lies Permana Lestari, Miranda Goeltom, and Shinta Maruarar Sirait also appeared stunning on the runway with the Merdi Sihombing x Humbang Kriya collection. "The support from many parties is what made Humbang Kriya successful like it is today. So that our products can be widely known even abroad. Of course this really helps the Humbang Kriya craftsmen in Dolok Sanggul," said Dumasi.

Merdi Sihombing said that the Flying Cloth performance was a collaborative project with various parties. Especially the local craftsmen who display their own unique culture and still uphold the concept of sustainability. It is hoped that by watching this performance, public knowledge about sustainability and Indonesian culture in the fashion sector will be wider, even worldwide.