HARSA Celebrates the Beauty of Slow Fashion Through the Handwork of Artisans

HARSA collection at the LAKON Terrace (Photo: Adelia/VOI)

JAKARTA - Behind the glitz of the runway, there is a world that the audience rarely sees, such as the hands of artisans who embroider, embroider, and sew with patience that cannot be rushed.

This is the essence of slow fashion, an approach that places the process, hand skills, and production time as the main value, not just chasing the speed of trends.

Batik and embroidery, two techniques of Indonesian cultural heritage are real examples of how a piece of cloth requires long working hours before it turns into the fashion we see on stage. This philosophy is applied from the latest collection of LAKON Indonesia.

There is one thing that is always interesting from every collection of LAKON Indonesia, namely this brand has never been in a hurry to tell a story. Each season comes as a new chapter that is slowly arranged, and this time the chapter is called HARSA, a collection that also closes the series of BRI JF3 Fashion Festival 2026 on July 29.

The word HARSA is taken from Sanskrit which means happiness. However, this is not an instant happiness, but a continuation of a long journey that begins through Urub, then celebrated again through the Night Market.

If Urub talks about the spirit that continues to burn, and the Night Market celebrates human encounters, then HARSA is a space to enjoy the journey itself. It appreciates the process and is grateful for whatever is born from it.

In the midst of the fashion industry racing to catch up with speed, HARSA takes a different stance. This collection celebrates things that cannot be rushed. Hand skills, the working hours of artisans, and the time it takes for a piece of cloth to turn into a garment.

For Thresia Mareta, Founder of LAKON Indonesia, this philosophy is not just a concept on paper, but is born from the real struggle behind the scenes of production.

"What is done in this collection is batik, there is organza, and there is also embroidery. The three of them have very different characters, the way they work is different, so the biggest challenge is actually how we unite the three of them so that they still feel one unity, not three things that are glued together," said Thresia at Teras LAKON, Cijantra, Tangerang, Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

The challenge is felt especially in the embroidery section. Instead of being satisfied with the existing standards, the LAKON Indonesia team continues to push the technical capabilities of the craftsmen.

"If it's about development, that's what we keep pushing from a technical point of view. We often ask the embroiderers, 'can this be made more neat? More detailed?' Not because the result is not good, but because we believe that hand skills can continue to rise if they are given room to experiment," he explained.

According to him, this process requires intense two-way communication between designers and craftsmen. Not just giving instructions, but building a common understanding of what needs to be achieved.

"So it's not about the embroiderer having to be perfect right from the start. Rather, from there we both learn, we both find the right point, until we finally find the result that really represents what we want," added Thresia.

For Thresia, this approach is also a way for LAKON Indonesia to pay tribute to the hands behind every fashion.

"This HARSA is actually a form of our gratitude to everyone involved, such as batik, embroiderers, tailors. What people see on the runway is the result of a long process that is not instant, and that's what we want to celebrate through this collection," he concluded.

The HARSA collection is still under the direction of Creative Director Irsan, marking his fifth collection with LAKON Indonesia. This is an achievement that shows the identity of a brand is not built in one season, but through a consistent process and continuous creative dialogue.

As one of the senior designers in the local fashion industry, Irsan brings a mature perspective in balancing creativity, function, and quality of execution. His experience is an important foundation that strengthens the character of LAKON Indonesia, forming a design language that continues to evolve without losing its identity.

After previously exploring the streetwear approach through the Urub collection, this time Irsan presents a much softer side, such as light and elegant silhouettes, moving from daily wear to daily wear deluxe.

The richness of Indonesian hand-made batik and embroidery is translated into a more contemporary design language through the play of proportions, construction, and material exploration. From poplin cotton, voile cotton, duchess satin, to organza.

HARSA is not just a name for a collection. HARSA is a reminder that happiness in working is not always at the end line, but in every hand that stitches, bordir, and sews patiently, a long process that should be celebrated.