Will Citayam Fashion Week Be The New Harajuku?

The atmosphere of Citayam Fashion Week, an impromptu street fashion event by young people from Depok, Citayam, and Bojonggede which has gone viral all over the world. (Instagram@naninbasuki)

JAKARTA - The Citayam Fashion Week phenomenon is often associated with Harajuku in the Shibuya area, Tokyo, Japan. No wonder, if someone calls it Haradukuh. Combining the name Harajuku with the name of the place where the Citayam Fashion Week was held, namely Dukuh Atas.

If you look at their origins, Citayam Fashion Week and Harajuku are almost the same. Harajuku as a fashion center for Japanese youth began with the existence of a number of boutiques there, for example in 1965. These boutiques succeeded in attracting the market, namely young people who are enthusiastic about fashion.

Since then, many young Japanese people have visited the area wearing trendy outfits that refer to the local fashion media. Meanwhile, Citayam Fashion Week was born by itself as the impact of a new civilization in the digital world.

"Its emergence is an unstructured fluid community that is spontaneously constructed," said sociologist from the University of Indonesia, Hari Nugroho, Sunday (24/7) quoted from Kompas.com.

Jasmine Laticia aka Jeje Slebew or Jeje SCBD, one of the initiators of the now popular Citayam Fashion Week. (Instagram@jejelines)

Emerged from the natural instincts of teenagers who want to actualize themselves through creativity as content creators. These teenagers continue to look for popular places to pose and act on social media.

The Dukuh Atas area was chosen because this area is easily accessible, close to the station. Also, instagramable. Many interesting photo spots with the feel of the middle of the city. In the last two decades, the Dukuh Atas area to the HI Roundabout has often become the object of photographers' photos.

"So why did they initially know the area (Dukuh Atas), because there are several children whose parents used to live here. Before RW 007 and 003 were evicted they lived here. Those who came on average indeed moved to the Citayam, Bojong and several other areas. in Bogor," said Head of the Government Section of Kebon Melati Village, Tanah Abang, Muhamad Al Farabi.

“Then their access here is also easy, they just need to take the train. It's not expensive. Invited his friends, it became more crowded so it is like now, "added Farabi.

Japanese youth dress style in the street fashion district of Harajuku in Shibuya district, Tokyo, Japan. (Rebels Market)

Roy Citayem, Jeje Slebew, Bonge never thought that an activity that was originally just a hangout to spend time became viral. Their outfits and those of their friends who seem slovenly have actually become the street style image of the Indonesian alpha generation of teenagers.

Japanese fashion media, Tokyo Fashion in its thread on Twitter to appreciate. Harajuku, which was initially opposed and often considered eccentric, has become the mecca of Japanese street style throughout the world. It's not impossible, Citayam Fashion Week could be the new Harajuku.

"For anyone who wants to help build a street fashion community in Jakarta, having a social media account that regularly posts tagged street photos helps fashion kids to meet each other, encourages kids to inspire each other & is a place to promote events /local fashion popups and more," wrote Tokyo Fashion on July 11.

Still Far From Being Harajuku

However, the Citayam Fashion Week phenomenon is still far from becoming Harajuku even though a number of celebrities, artists, models, and governors such as Anies Baswedan and Ridwan Kamil have come and tested the zebra cross area which often becomes the catwalk.

Is this just a temporary trend? There are many variables to turn Citayam Fashion Week into Harajuku, such as government support, market response, creative industry networks, and the attitude of the community itself.

If these variables are not considered, according to urban planning observer, Nirwono Yoga, Citayam Fashion Week will not necessarily last long.

"All netizens try to update the status of things that are viral and the government tends to take advantage of that momentary fame for government purposes, it can be campaigns or other activities, this kind of model will also not last long," said Nirwono, Saturday (16/7).

Hari also considered that Citayam Fashion Week was only a temporary trend due to the absence of public space for teenagers in Jakarta's buffer zone. There is no propulsion and will likely dim on its own.

The Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil, took advantage of the popularity of Citayam Fashion Week. (Instagram@ridwankamil)

"Although there are several names that are prominent among the Citayam community, they are not the driving leaders like him," said Hari.

In fact, it is not impossible that this trend will later belong to the upper middle class who have qualified social and economic resources. Finally, the teenagers who became the forerunners of Citayam Fashion Week were wasted.

"At least it's just a support, not the main subject of the arena," added Hari.

Currently, it can be seen that there are two names that have been highlighted by the media, trying to register Citayam Fashion Week as Intellectual Property Rights (HAKI) with the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

Then the problem of illegal parking and congestion around Dukuh Atas which makes SCBD or Sudirman, Citayam, Bojonggede, and Depok teenagers in danger of being evicted.

The Governor of DKI Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, invited his guests from Europe to cross the Citayam Fashion Week zebra crossing which is currently viral. (Instagram@aniesbaswedan)

The DKI Provincial Government has even determined alternative locations to move Citayam Fashion Week, either to Monas, Kota Tua, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Sarinah, Banteng Field Park, or to the GBK Senayan Complex.

In fact, said Nirwono Yoga, making the zebra cross area a catwalk is common in big cities of the world. Just look at the photo of The Beatles on Abbey Road. "It's even become iconic."

Not to mention, the public's sarcastic response that tends to judge SCBD's children. They are considered to be more active on social media than going to school.

“Everything must be managed properly, including government support. This is the challenge if you want to continue to develop Citayam Fashion Week," said Nirwono

The Character of Youth Is the Creator of Culture

However, said UGM sociologist, Derajat Sulistyo Widhyarto, the character of young people is the creator of culture. The emergence of those who use the public area in the city center as a location for their expression by mixing and matching street style fashions is indeed very brilliant. Because, fashion is part of a culture that can be accepted by all levels of society.

Uniquely, what they show is against the current phenomenon of consumerism culture and showing off luxury that is often shown by social media activists and influencers. They are confident with outfits without a brand.

"This should be appreciated. They have indeed lost the fight with the middle and upper class youths who have entered the city's business space. So Citayam is a representation of the lower middle class youth and becomes part of their new existence in filling the city space and at the same time forming the city's youth culture," he said, quoted from ugm.ac.id.