Towards IFW 2026, Young Designers Explore the Beauty of Ulos in Contemporary Works

JAKARTA - The ability of Indonesian fashion designers continues to show promising developments, especially among young people.

They are now required not only to be able to follow global trends, but also the generation of Indonesian fashion designers are increasingly proficient in processing local cultural wealth into works that are relevant to the development of the modern fashion industry.

It is this creativity and courage to experiment that is an important capital in producing new talents who are ready to compete internationally.

Ahead of the 2026 Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW), the 2026 Indonesia Young Fashion Designer Competition (IYFDC) officially entered the semi-final round. The event was held at Lippo Mall Nusantara, Jakarta, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

A total of 50 semifinalists from various regions in Indonesia presented their best collections that raised creative interpretations of the beauty of typical North Sumatra textiles.

Various design approaches were displayed by the participants, ranging from the exploration of modern silhouettes to the processing of traditional textiles in contemporary fashion.

This competition is one of the important series leading up to the 2026 Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) which will bring together young talents with national fashion industry players.

The assessment process was carried out by a number of well-known designers who are members of the Indonesian Fashion Designers and Entrepreneurs Association (APPMI).

The judges judged the participants' works based on the strength of the concept, workmanship, suitability with the theme, and innovation in translating local culture into today's fashion designs.

"Through IYFDC, we are not only looking for new talents, but also encouraging a fresh perspective on local identity. The Ulos Simetria theme is also a rich exploration space, and the semifinalists managed to translate it through works that are strong in concept and visuals," said Poppy Dharsono, Chairman of APPMI in Jakarta, Wednesday, June 6.

From the semifinal stage, the jury will select the 12 best finalists to showcase their collections on the main stage of the Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) 2026. At the event, the four best designers will be announced as the winners of the competition.

In addition to having the opportunity to appear in one of the largest fashion weeks in Indonesia, the main winner of IYFDC 2026 will receive an education scholarship at Koefia Accademia, Rome, Italy.

The institution is known as one of the prestigious fashion schools in Europe with a focus on the development of haute couture design and a strong academic tradition.

"I am very proud that young fashion designers can respond to the spirit of Jakarta as a melting pot of diverse cultures, making the capital very dynamic and that can be seen from the works of the participants of IYFDC 2025," said Poppy Dharsono.

The series of activities for the 2026 IYFDC semifinals not only presents the presentation of the participants' collections, but also open judging sessions and creative discussions that bring together the jury with young designers.

This event once again shows that the Indonesian young generation has great ability in combining cultural elements and innovation into aesthetic, valuable, and competitive fashion works in the global market.

"Hopefully this event can be a space for exploration for many designers in the country. The works of the young designers of the IYFDC 2026 participants are very exploratory. This is evidenced by the ideas and concepts, sketches, techniques, and details in some parts," said one of the IYFDC 2026 judges.

The search for young talents is also based on the accuracy between the concept on paper and the execution must be in harmony in order to produce fashion design works with strong characteristics and creativity that are adjusted to current fashion trends.