JAKARTA - In the midst of the increasingly dynamic fashion industry, a fashion is now judged not only from its appearance, but also from the long journey that gave birth to the work.
Starting from craftsmanship, material exploration, technical innovation, to close collaboration between designers and artisans, the entire process becomes an important foundation in shaping a sustainable fashion identity.
In Indonesia, this approach is increasingly finding its relevance. Various textile heritage of Nusantara is being processed into works that speak in the language of contemporary design without releasing the cultural roots that become its identity.
Batik, weaving, embroidery, and various creative techniques continue to evolve through a process of research and experimentation that takes place continuously. This approach not only gives birth to new aesthetics, but also maintains the sustainability of the skills of craftsmen so that they are still able to adapt to the needs of today's fashion industry.
This spirit is the basis for the birth of HARSA, the latest collection of Indonesian Fashion that will close the JF3 Fashion Festival 2026 series on July 29, 2026. As a closing collection of the festival, HARSA marks a new chapter in the creative journey of Indonesian Fashion while showing how Indonesian hand works continue to evolve through a modern, relevant design approach, and remain rooted in tradition.
Derived from the Sanskrit word meaning happiness, HARSA continues the story that was previously built through the Urub and Night Market collections.
If Urub represents the spirit that continues to burn, while the Night Market illustrates the dynamics of life and human encounters, then HARSA invites the public to enjoy every stage of the creative journey, appreciate the process, and at the same time be grateful for every achievement that comes from it.
In the midst of a fast-paced culture, HARSA reminds that a work cannot be shortened in its process. It takes time, accuracy, skill, and dedication for a hand-made work to produce quality that lasts a long time. These values are the main foundation of the latest collection of Lakon Indonesia.
Through HARSA, Lakon Indonesia appreciates all hands that play a role in the process of creating fashion, from batik makers, embroiderers, tailors, to various parties involved in every stage of production. Each design is a manifestation of the dedication of craftsmen who continue to develop the heritage of creativity through a design approach that is in line with today's lifestyle.
The founder of Lakon Indonesia, Theresia Mareta, assessed that the progress of the national fashion industry cannot be separated from the development of an ecosystem that is able to strengthen the capacity of artisans.
"Lakon Indonesia is not just a brand, but an ecosystem that builds the capacity of artisans to be able to work according to industry standards without losing the value of handwork," he said at La Piazza Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Theresia explained that from the beginning, Lakon Indonesia was not only oriented towards the creation of collections, but was also committed to accompanying artisans through various learning and experimental processes.
"At Lakon, we don't just buy finished products. We experiment with artisans to improve their ability so that they can produce consistent, quality, and professional works," he said.
This commitment is realized through Teras Lakon, an exploration space that functions as a place for the development of various handwork techniques.
"Our Lakon core is a laboratory in the field, where we experiment with artisans so that they are able to produce on an industrial scale, still relying on handwork," explained Theresia.
According to him, the relationship built by Lakon Indonesia with the craftsmen is more than just a production cooperation. The partnership is designed so that the craftsmen can develop independently and have wider competitiveness.
"Our relationship with the craftsmen is not as employees. They remain independent, but we want them to have the capacity to receive orders from various parties, not just from Lakon Indonesia," he said.
The same spirit of exploration is also the common thread in HARSA. This collection remains under the direction of Creative Director Irsan and is his 50th work with Lakon Indonesia.
As one of Indonesia's senior designers, Irsan presents a balance between creativity, function, and quality of workmanship, so that the identity of Indonesian Lakon continues to evolve without losing its main character.
The journey of collaboration, which has now entered the ninth collection, shows that a brand identity is built through consistency, ongoing creative dialogue, and the courage to continue to evolve.
Through HARSA, Irsan presents a silhouette that is lighter, softer, and more elegant than the exploration of streetwear in the Urub collection. This collection moves from the daily wear category to daily wear deluxe through the game of proportions, construction, and exploration of various materials, such as cotton poplin, cotton voile, satin duchess, and organza.
Theresia said the exploration of techniques has always been an inseparable part of the creative journey of Lakon Indonesia.
"Every year we continue to experiment, from embroidery techniques, batik, sewing, cutting, to the use of new materials such as organza, sangkat fabric, and lace, so that the work produced always develops," he said.
In addition to experimenting with techniques and materials, Lakon Indonesia is also actively researching various cultural archives as a source of learning.
"We collect archives of fabrics, puppets, kebaya, and various hand works to study old techniques, then extract them into knowledge that can be taught back to the craftsmen," he explained.
According to Theresia, this step is an important effort to maintain the sustainability of Indonesian craft skills in the midst of the increasingly rapid demands of the industry.
"We want to ensure that the skills of craftsmen do not continue to decline due to the demands of a fast-paced and cheap market. Therefore, we continue to revive high-value techniques through experiments," said Theresia.
Through this approach, the richness of Indonesian batik and embroidery is translated into works that remain relevant to the development of time without abandoning their traditional values.
"Batik and weaving in Lakon Indonesia may look classic, but through the processing of designs and techniques that are constantly updated, the results remain relevant and modern," he added.
He also revealed that one of the biggest challenges in building Indonesian Lakon is creating consistent quality standards at the level of artisans.
"The biggest challenge at the beginning was to make the craftsmen able to produce fabrics that are consistent in terms of color, motif, and production time. That's what we've been building for the past eight years," he added.
For Theresia, the journey of Lakon Indonesia is not only focused on the creation of fashion products, but also building a stronger industry foundation through strengthening the ecosystem.
"The journey of Lakon Indonesia is not only about creating products, but also building an ecosystem that makes traditions, innovations, and empowerment of artisans go together," he said.
This view then became the basis for the birth of HARSA.
"For eight years of building Lakon Indonesia, I learned that happiness does not only come when a work is completed. Happiness is actually present in every process we go through, when we discuss, experiment, solve various challenges, until we see the results that continue to grow. The journey that brought us to this day," he explained.
"Through HARSA, we want to celebrate the process. Celebrating something that is lived with all one's heart because one understands the purpose. And when everything is in process, happiness finds its way. Hopefully, this happiness can also be felt by everyone who wears our works," concluded Theresia Mareta.
As a conclusion to the JF3 Fashion Festival 2026, HARSA is also a reflection of the spirit of RECRAFTED: Shaping the Future which believes that the future of Indonesian fashion is built through respect for craftsmanship, cross-cultural collaboration, and the courage to continue to innovate without giving up the roots of tradition.
More than just a collection of festival covers, HARSA is an affirmation that the future of Indonesian fashion is born from a long process, continuous innovation, and appreciation for every hand that works behind every garment.
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