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THE ASSOCIATION of Indonesian Fashion Designers and Entrepreneurs (APPMI) is encouraging Indonesian designers to continue embracing cultural heritage as their identity. According to the association, Indonesian fashion must have distinctive characteristics rooted in the rich culture or heritage of the archipelago.
“Indonesian fashion must have an Indonesian identity grounded in the heritage of the archipelago,” said APPMI Chairperson Poppy Dharsono at Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) 2026 in Jakarta on Sunday (8/02), 2026.
Poppy stated that APPMI, through Indonesia Fashion Week, provides a platform for designers who are passionate about their work and love Indonesian products.
The association does not solely promote established designers, but also those who continue to work and build their careers.
“Instead, we promote designers who are passionate about their work, love Indonesian products, and have consistently pursued their careers. And that’s what we must continue to support and give them a platform,” she said.
Poppy also noted that the performances of works from North Sumatra, supported by the North Sumatra Provincial Government, have shown increasing progress year after year.
At the closing of BTN Indonesia Fashion Week 2026, Poppy stated that during the five-day event, the public had witnessed creativity, a confluence of ideas, innovation, and collaboration that strengthened Indonesia’s position as a fashion powerhouse in the region and globally.
Through the theme “Ulos Simetria,” she said, the public was encouraged to understand that progress must go hand in hand with the preservation of cultural values. According to her, tradition and innovation are not contradictory, but rather complement each other to build the future of the Indonesian fashion industry.
Poppy also encouraged the Indonesian fashion industry to develop fashion that is grounded in the nation’s cultural heritage. She stated that Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage is a strength that cannot be easily imitated and can be a source of inspiration for Indonesian craftsmen and artisans.
“We create fashion based on our heritage, which cannot be easily imitated. Essentially, our heritage, meaning the legacy of our ancestors, can be a source of wealth for Indonesian craftsmen and artisans, and if we continue like this, it will bring them prosperity,” she concluded. [antaranews]
