Latest news with #Bernama-Xinhua
The Star
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Reviving Indonesia's textile heritage at country's fashion week in Jakarta
JAKARTA (Bernama-Xinhua): Models strutted down the runway of Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) 2025, transforming into living canvases that showcased the rich heritage of the archipelago through meaningful garments, under dazzling lights and resonant musical rhythms. The country's largest fashion event takes place from May 28 to June 1 in Jakarta, featuring works from over 200 designers and tenants from across the archipelago, alongside fashion shows, exhibitions, talk shows, and creative forums to support a competitive, inclusive, and sustainable fashion ecosystem. Designers from Armenia and a guest designer from Malaysia also took part in this vibrant celebration of cultural fashion. One of the highlights of IFW 2025 was the collection by Essy Masita from Yogyakarta, titled "Timeless Tradition." Her pieces blended lurik textiles from Yogyakarta and Central Java with other Indonesian heritage fabrics such as handweaving (tenun) Badui from Banten, hand-drawn batik from Java, ulos from North Sumatra's Batak culture, and tenun Sumba from East Nusa Tenggara-all reimagined in contemporary urban silhouettes. A standout look featured a tenun Sumba-based dress paired with a long lurik outerwear adorned with original tenun fringe-an ensemble rich in both aesthetics and meaning. To Essy, traditional Indonesian textiles (wastra) are more than just material -- it is a medium of storytelling and cultural identity. "I want younger generations to wear wastra with pride, not just during traditional ceremonies, but in their everyday lives," she told Xinhua. Since 2000, Essy has been dedicated to bringing wastra into the fashion spotlight, working directly with local weaving communities to ensure an ethical supply chain that empowers women. She recently showcased her collection at fashion weeks in Australia, following appearances in London, Milan, and Paris. Another standout designer was Yuni Pohan from North Sumatra with her collection "Melayu Megapolitan," which featured 11 looks blending the traditional Deli Malay kebaya and songket from Medan with megamendung batik motifs, floral patterns, bamboo shoot designs, and delicate embroidery. Yuni chooses to work with wastra because she believes that behind every motif lies a philosophy of life. "Batik and Malay songket are not just beautiful. They tell stories about humanity's connection with nature, about love and struggle. For example, the bamboo shoot motif symbolises hope, fertility, and humility," she explained. The presence of designers like Essy and Yuni proves that Indonesian wastra continues to evolve, no longer confined to traditional wardrobes, but stepping onto the global runway as a symbol of identity and contemporary expression. Poppy Dharsono, chairwoman of the Indonesian Fashion Designers and Entrepreneurs Association (APPMI) and president of Indonesia Fashion Week 2025, emphasised that Indonesia's heritage is rich with diverse textiles and adornments from hundreds of ethnic groups, from Acehnese songket and Lampung's tapis to Javanese and Balinese batik, and Papuan handweaving. She stressed that wastra is a living cultural identity that continues to grow within Indonesia's fashion industry, with each motif and technique reflecting deep-rooted philosophies and local wisdom. "Fashion is more than appearance. It is a form of cultural expression and identity. Indonesian wastra is more than fabric, it is a living heritage continuously developed by creative designers," said Poppy. Through Indonesia Fashion Week, she hopes traditional textiles will become a main source of inspiration for world-class modern fashion, while also grounding cultural values within the global fashion industry. - Bernama-Xinhua
The Star
9 hours ago
- Climate
- The Star
Bad weather and heavy rain impacts thousands of people in China's Yunnan
KUNMING, China (Bernama-Xinhua): Rain-triggered floods and geological disasters have struck Gongshan County in southwest China's Yunnan Province, affecting 4,857 people as of 9 pm Saturday, local authorities have said. According to the county flood control and drought relief headquarters, 1,342 people have been evacuated and no casualties have been reported so far. At least 27 houses have been damaged, and 16 bridges have been impacted or brought down. Road disruptions have been reported at 97 locations, 54 of which have already been resolved. Preliminary estimates put economic losses at approximately 87.54 million yuan (about US$12.18 million). Two tourist destinations in the county have been closed temporarily, stranding 638 tourists. More than 500 of those tourists were located in Bingzhongluo Township and have already begun returning home. Damage assessments and follow-up relief efforts are still underway. - Bernama-Xinhua
Barnama
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Barnama
Reviving Indonesia's Textile Heritage At Fashion Week
JAKARTA, May 30 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Models strutted down the runway of Indonesia Fashion Week (IFW) 2025, transforming into living canvases that showcased the rich heritage of the archipelago through meaningful garments, under dazzling lights and resonant musical rhythms. The country's largest fashion event, reported Xinhua, takes place from May 28 to June 1 in Jakarta, featuring works from over 200 designers and tenants from across the archipelago, alongside fashion shows, exhibitions, talk shows, and creative forums to support a competitive, inclusive, and sustainable fashion ecosystem. Designers from Armenia and a guest designer from Malaysia also took part in this vibrant celebration of cultural fashion. bootstrap slideshow One of the highlights of IFW 2025 was the collection by Essy Masita from Yogyakarta, titled "Timeless Tradition." Her pieces blended lurik textiles from Yogyakarta and Central Java with other Indonesian heritage fabrics such as handweaving (tenun) Badui from Banten, hand-drawn batik from Java, ulos from North Sumatra's Batak culture, and tenun Sumba from East Nusa Tenggara-all reimagined in contemporary urban silhouettes. A standout look featured a tenun Sumba-based dress paired with a long lurik outerwear adorned with original tenun fringe-an ensemble rich in both aesthetics and meaning. To Essy, traditional Indonesian textiles (wastra) are more than just material -- it is a medium of storytelling and cultural identity. "I want younger generations to wear wastra with pride, not just during traditional ceremonies, but in their everyday lives," she told Xinhua. Since 2000, Essy has been dedicated to bringing wastra into the fashion spotlight, working directly with local weaving communities to ensure an ethical supply chain that empowers women. She recently showcased her collection at fashion weeks in Australia, following appearances in London, Milan, and Paris. Another standout designer was Yuni Pohan from North Sumatra with her collection "Melayu Megapolitan," which featured 11 looks blending the traditional Deli Malay kebaya and songket from Medan with megamendung batik motifs, floral patterns, bamboo shoot designs, and delicate embroidery. Yuni chooses to work with wastra because she believes that behind every motif lies a philosophy of life.
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Philippine durian gains market access to Egypt
MANILA: (Bernama-Xinhua) The Philippine durian has gained market access to Egypt, the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry said, Xinhua reported. "This development, confirmed on May 18, 2025, marks the successful conclusion of nearly two years of technical negotiations, pest risk assessments, and regulatory cooperation between the Philippines and Egypt," the bureau said in a statement on social media on Wednesday (May 28) afternoon. According to the bureau, the fresh market access reflects regulatory compliance and growing confidence in the country's plant health and safety systems. The path to market access began in June 2023, when the Philippines formally notified its intent to export fresh durian to Egypt. Since then, the bureau said it has actively collaborated with Egypt's Central Administration for Plant Quarantine, addressing key concerns related to pest surveillance, phytosanitary measures, and export protocols. According to the bureau, the Philippines exported 14,156.87 metric tonnes of fresh durian in 2024 to various international destinations, representing a 199.23 per cent increase from 2023, which highlights the growing global demand for Philippine durian. - Bernama-Xinhua
The Star
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Star
Small ship with eight people onboard goes missing in Indonesia's Bengkulu
- Representational image. JAKARTA: (Bernama-Xinhua) A small ship with eight people on board has been missing in the waters of Indonesia's western Bengkulu province, a search and rescue operation is underway, a top rescuer said on Monday (May 26), reported Xinhua. The ship KM Althaf departed from a seaport in Bengkulu City, the capital of the province, on Saturday (May 24) at approximately 3pm Jakarta time. It was headed to Enggano Island in North Bengkulu Regency, according to Muslikun Sodik, head of the Bengkulu Province Search and Rescue Office. "The ship should arrive in Enggano Island at about 7am Sunday. However, until now, the ship has not arrived at its destination. The ship and all the people on board cannot be contacted. The occupants of the ship were the captain, two crew, and five passengers," he told Xinhua. The search and rescue operation was immediately carried out by the provincial search and rescue office, navy personnel, and other volunteers, he said. Sodik disclosed that the weather conditions in the area were extreme, with strong winds and huge waves. - Bernama-Xinhua
