Asti Surya Designer Reveals How To Face Ageism In The Fashion Industry

JAKARTA - Phenomenon of ageism or discrimination and stereotypes based on age is still common in various fields, including the fashion world. Many fashion industry players feel limited age stereotypes, especially for women.

This was also felt by the designer and Creative Director of ASTISURYA, Asti Surya. He admitted that he had experienced pressure in the midst of very rapid changes in the fashion industry, and is now filled with many young people.

Aku milenial, terus ada generasi baru namanya gen Z. Terasa dengan kehadiran mereka yang di dunia yang produktif ini sudah memegang peran juga," tutur Asti Surya saat ditemui di kawasan Bundaran HI, Jakarta, pada Senin, 19 Oktober 2025.

The presence of younger generations with various new innovations in the fashion world, often makes Asti compare her own abilities with them. He admits that he has different abilities from the younger generation who already understand technology better.

"This often makes me compare my abilities with this generation," he said.

"Mereka secara visual presentasi lebih baik, dibanding kita yang milenial ini adalah orang-orang yang sama teknologi baru belajar," tambahnya.

However, Asti realized that she must be relevant to changing times, by learning again and collaborating. By doing this, he can overcome the stereotype of ageism and still be able to balance the younger generation.

"Initially I was stressed to follow this rapid growth, but over time I felt I had to learn from these young people to stay young and keep up with the times," he explained.

Not only that, Asti also hopes that fashion industry players can appreciate the diversity of age. This is because each generation has a different contribution in building the world of Indonesian fashion.

"The way I overcome this ageism is by learning to balance my skills with what is today. Age does not limit to continuing to work and learn," concluded Asti Surya.