Bekraf & 8 Indonesian Designers Take New York

8/15/2017

Badan Ekonomi Kreatif (Bekraf), or the Creative Economy Agency, has been tasked by the President of Indonesia Joko Widodo himself to oversee the economic growth of the country’s creative industry. Bekraf formulates strategies to showcase Indonesia’s best creative works that would eventually put Indonesia on the global creative map.

This year, they did just that. Bekfraf announced an open call for emerging talents in craftsmanship, whose products are original, handmade, environmentally responsible, and entirely Indonesian; made with Indonesian resources by Indonesian craftsmen.

The selected eight product designers will join Bekraf in NY Now, New York’s wholesale products and innovative design tradeshow that runs from 19 to 23 August 2017. We are featuring the chosen few and the products they will be showcasing on behalf of the nation.

Kayou

Kayou came to light when five Indonesian architects decided to join forces and take a turn from designing buildings to crafting furniture. the word “kayou” originated from the Indonesian word “kayu”, which translates to “wood”. As the name suggests, Kayou offers a series of wooden furniture pieces, handcrafted from the finest materials for your home.

Designed by Alexandrea Alvin Handjojo, Indra Sidharta, and partners, 
in addition to head designer Theo Sakti Wijaya, Kayou highlights the natural beauty of their solid woods by restraining their appearance to a simple concept with a quiet charm. Clean lines, smooth curves, and organic wood patterns are what make Kayou fit for modern minimalistic homes with an appreciation for craftsmanship.

For their debut series Satoo, the furniture label showcases a variety
of pieces ranging from tables, chairs,
to kitchenware and other interior accessories, each named after Wayang (Indonesian shadow Puppet) that bears a cultural significance. Kayou gives most pieces in three different types of wood (teak, mindi and sonokeling) or a combination of two. It is also possible to choose between a natural coat and Kayou’s signature colour finish.

The first pieces in Satoo are thonet chairs named Anta, Naka and Nara, the lighter coloured of the bunch. The trio have slightly rounded backs with simple backrests. Get either of these in a set and match them with the Bima dining tables for an aesthetic feel in your dining rooms.

With their slanted backs for lounging, the Puru chairs are ideal for the living room. Complete the room with a TV on a Nata cabinet and some light reads on the Jata coffee table. The Tama laptop table has been thoughtfully designed to save workaholics from distractions. The rest
 of Satoo are equally sleek, but dedicated to various areas of a home. Kayou’s latest collections incorporate other materials such as leather, metal and stone. They are available at www.kayou.co.id

Djalin

Named after the archaic Indonesian word for ‘interweave’, the Indonesian furniture label Djalin delivers exactly what its moniker suggests. Djalin showcases an array of ergonomic handwoven furniture pieces refined with the bespoke craftsmanship of the locals, particularly those who inherited their talents in weaving wickers.

Drawing inspiration from the
local heritage, works by Djalin are unpretentious, sustainable and unmistakably Indonesian. Rattan (both natural and synthetic) are weaved together and fit into frames made of aluminium and steel to make bar stools, chairs, sofas, tables and display shelves. Djalin’s Pandura is a Borneo-inspired bar stool that takes the frame of the age- old thonet chair, and combines it with the shape of an orchid’s petal. Chairs similar to the classic Pandura may be spotted in public spaces with conceptual interior schemes, but they prove to be an increasingly rare element in modern private residences, with the exception of traditional Indonesian homes.

While traditional wickers have been around for a long time, design director and co-founder of Djalin, Sita Fitriana, adds a contemporary touch to achieve that perfect balance between timeless and trendy. The Dayak bistro chair is the perfect example – it’s largely modern, but with a simple black-and-white tribal- inspired element. The Keraton lounge chair too, has an unassuming frame, hence reserving all the spotlight for its meticulously weaved backrest.

Having been in the industry since 1989, Djalin has stood the test of time. With the help of artisan partners from the rural parts of West Java, Djalin highlights Indonesia’s prized craftsmanship, one weave at a time. Introduce an artistic element to your properties with Djalin’s collection of woven furniture, available at www.djalin.com

Sepiring Indonesia

Founded by two Indonesian women, Eridanie Zulviana and Jasmyne 
Oei, Sepiring is a creative label best characterised by their whimsical caricature designs. Just like Indonesia’s diverse cultures, Sepiring’s works are festive, colourful and vibrant. Through fresh designs, Sepiring manages to capture the multifaceted Indonesia in items we see every day.

Sepiring’s first products were a
set of six plates that were sold at the prestigious Alun Alun Grand Indonesia in 2013. Every plate depicted a different culture of the archipelago including Joged Jakarta, JawaSemanak, Legong Bali, Rancak Minang, Tatau Dayak and Bugis Makanja. The comical illustrations showed Indonesians decked in their respective traditional clothing, seemingly grooving to a lively tune.

For their fall 2017 collection,
 Sepiring added more playful ceramic plates including one that showcases Mambesak Papua’s rich tribal traditions and rare flora and fauna. Sepiring also introduced ceramic eco-mugs that come with a rubber cap and handle, packaged in a box that tells a story of the mug’s illustrations. The charming tea time eco-mug celebrates the old custom of Kebaya-wearing Indonesian ladies sipping fine Indonesian tea to pass the time.
 Pair these dining accessories with the equally vibrant place mats for a fun design statement at home.

Leveraging Indonesian craftsmanship, Sepiring is able to produce a plethora of creative works from coasters, stationary sets, to leather-lined wallets. Thus far, Sepiring has 32 designs in 80 different products; the label also manufactures handmade canvas bags. as with the ceramic products, the lively designs
on the tote, cross-body, and handheld bags are sure to turn heads. See the label’s most exciting collections at www.sepiringindonesia.com

Maharani Craft

Back in 1989, Maharani was involved in the silver industry, offering all kinds of products to all sorts of consumers. Fast forward to the turn of the millennium, the market saturated with one-stop destination. It was becoming more apparent that diverting attention to a niche was the wiser option.

In 2009, Bali-based Maharani established a sub-division that focuses on crafts. Within four years, under
the direction of Irene Setiawati and
by leveraging the resources at hand, Maharani re-emerges as Maharani Crafts, a label that focuses on creating decorative interior elements from corals and semi-precious stones. They offer household accessories including door knobs, drawer pulls, and table top ornaments ranging from napkin rings to picture frames.

NY Now will see Maharani’s best selling door and drawer knobs that are made from glittery druzy stones, colourful petrified woods, clam shells, brass, and coral stones, all sourced locally and processed by local skills men and women.

Expect to see art deco influences 
and subtle oceanic vibes in Maharani’s premium crafts. Some portray a
classic black and gold look with gilded brass frames, while some are more feminine options with floral designs and glimmering surfaces of crushed shells. Maharani also offers products that retain the natural look of each stone, which is mainly chunky and rough.

Precious, delicate and mysterious, Maharani’s handmade products make artistic embellishments for the home. Their collections can be spotted at a number of international exhibitions, and also at www.maharanihandicraft.com

Jenggala

Loved by many, revered by plenty, Jenggala Keramik is a legacy name 
when it comes to fine ceramic ware. the brand’s attention to quality and design has endured since its inception in 1976, allowing it to mature into a highly sought- after destination for tourists in Bali.

Jenggala caters to both small scale and larger retail audiences, including five- star hotels and restaurants in Indonesia and abroad. Choose from a whopping total of over 3000 designs and 200 glaze finishes, with offerings that span from kitchenware, drinkware, artworks, vases, bathroom accessories, and more.

Among those that Jenggala will be showcasing at NY Now is the Coffee Collection, an understated coffee cup and saucer set with matching signature glazes. The finishing coat gives a textural sensation in the palms of the coffee drinkers, with thick walls that have been engineered to maintain the warmth of the coffee brew and enhance its taste.

The Coffee Collection was designed by one of Jenggala’s 150 designers, Sasanti Puri Ardini, who also oversaw the work of her fellow designers. The Classic Asian set, the Western Classic, and the Barefoot Plate set, are three ceramic tableware collections that will be exhibited in New York alongside the Coffee Collection.

The array of tableware extends to Modern kendi, a contemporary rendition of the Indonesian terracotta-drinking vessel. Designed by Jesika Tirtanimala, kendi was awarded the UNESCO Award of Excellence for Handicraft
 2010 for its authenticity, innovation
and marketability, and also for being environmentally responsible. Made of ceramic and wood, kendi is to be held by its detachable neck and tilted to pour out its contents through its spout.

Jenggala will also put their Sokasi candles on display. The colourful ceramics enclosing the candles were inspired by the eponymous woven baskets used by Balinese to carry offerings during religious rituals. The natural beeswax blend candles inside come in four different feminine scents. Jenggala enhances your shared spaces
at home and makes thoughtful gifts. Discerning buyers will appreciate that the brand’s quality is Iso-2009-certified since 2012. find out more about Jenggala at www.jenggala.com

Braow Goods

Braow Goods, a Jakarta-based label that specialises in durable leather goods has been selected for its timeless designs and exceptional finishing. What started as a passion for owners Christanto and Densely quickly turned into a business, with a mission to make fine leather goods for everyday use that will last a lifetime.

Braow products are locally sourced, and then cut, stitched, and assembled by hand to meet an artisanal standard. The leathers are hand dyed and tanned using processed vegetable tanners to allow the material to darken and change shapes according to its usage over time. Leather is known to age gracefully due to patina, a soft gloss that gradually develops on the surface, giving an impression of a personality and character unique to each product.
 The collection ranges from something as small as a key wallet to larger tote bags. The Clementine card pouch
and Neema key wallet are the two internationally-favoured highlights of Braow’s array of leather goods. Inspired by envelopes, the Clementine pouch conveniently fits enough cards and is small enough to slip into a regular pocket. Meanwhile, Neema serves as a solution to misplacing loose keys. It has a keychain dangling from its side and two hooks on the leather that open up to two slot ideal for cash or cards.

For more storage, opt for Delilah, a wallet pouch that offers more spacious compartments. Dubbed part businesswoman, part wife, and part mother, Delilah is a versatile mini wallet that females would enjoy. With three sections in an 11 cm by 8 cm dimension, the
wallet fits up to 25 cards. the unisex, practically-named Clutch also allows more space, specifically for passports and other travel documents. the Clutch is fit for both formal and informal occasions. for the rest of Braow’s fine leather goods, please visit www.braowgoods.com

Indo Risakti

Yogyakarta-born Indo Risakti is a label that specialises in environmentally friendly decorative products for sustainable homes. Their collection
of baskets, vases, and other interior accessories are made using unused items that would otherwise be trash.

But, another man’s trash is another man’s treasure: with the help of skillful Indonesian artisans, Indo Risakti transforms old newspapers, waste candy wrappers, cloth cuttings, and cast-off materials like sea grass and natural straws, into artsy home décor items.

Find anything from wall mirrors to bags in a plethora of sizes, textures, materials, and shapes. The wall mirrors, for instance, come in frames that
are either woven, carved, painted, or plaited. While some would be a pleasant accessory for a contemporary home, others would be better poised for an ethnic-inspired interior concept.

Indo Risakti’s baskets also involve meticulous hand-weaving techniques. Choose from different types of baskets woven from banana barks, rattan, water hyacinth, and an array of other locally sourced natural materials. Whether to rest on a shelf in a living room for decorative purposes, or to serve as a storage or hamper, Indo Risakti baskets are both aesthetic and functional.

For a systemic yet artistic storage solution, opt for the woven boxes that come in sets of three, four or five. tuck your belongings away in the boxes to avoid clutter and know where everything is in an instant. Most sets come with matching lids for a neater look.
 Since its debut in 2012, Indo Risakti has consistently produced hand-crafted items with an emphasis on quality and material. They have exported significant volumes to Europe and the us For more information on Indo Risakti, please visit www.indo-risakti.com

Jamooga

Last but not least on Bekraf’s NY Nowlist is a unique and innovative company from Bandung named Jamooga. Unlike its seven counterparts, Jamooga’s handmade works are not likely to be spotted in the kitchen, dining room, or any of the adults’ areas. Instead, our growing little friends at home will relish Jamooga’s creations the most.

With a mission to make education fun for children, Jamooga manufactures ‘edu-toys’ that stimulate the motoric 
and cognitive abilities of toddlers and pre-schoolers. The edu-toys are sets of wooden blocks for children to assemble like puzzles pieces into fun animal shapes like chickens, puppies, and elephants, as well as dinosaurs, trucks and trains.

After safety tests and the determination to be environmentally friendly, Jamooga settled on wood as their basic material as it is relatively light, easily formed and recycled, durable,
and safe for teething children. Jamooga sourced their wood from the waste cuts of small local workshops. The final coat uses natural, toxic-free beeswax and vegetable oil.

The idea of Jamooga came to light when designer and writer Dodi Mustafa left his corporate job and partnered with Zaky Yamani to start the label in 2016, launching their debut collection in March 2017. since then, Jamooga has diversified to create push toys, and potentially collectible items that can double as decorative items. The Sumatra elephant Clock is a charmer, and so is the heart- warming red & White onion toothpick jar. The Java rhino and ewe table lamps will illuminate your work space with a touch of retro.

Jamooga’s current array of products was inspired by traditional Indonesian folklores, but the agenda includes creating a collection of wooden puzzles in the shape of national monuments, endangered animals, forgotten transportation, and other forms that would carry a meaningful narrative. Be the first to know what’s next at Jamooga at www.jamooga.com

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Natasha Gan
Author
Natasha is a writer and a digital marketing professional currently based in Toronto, Canada.