The District Celebrates A Remarkably Fashionable Night In Indonesia

Be sure to check out all of our photographs from this event HERE and tell us what you were wearing that night!

NORTHWEST -- Indonesian culture took center stage Wednesday night at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington D.C. as Cita Tenun Indonesia (the Indonesian Woven Cloths Association) and the Indonesian Embassy hosted a blowout gala to highlight the country's role as a central market for woven textiles.

Following a cocktail reception during which we were free to admire a variety of Indonesian cloths and fabrics that adorned the lower hallways of the hotel, the sea of well-dressed guests was diligently ushered into the venue's grand ballroom. With styles ranging from traditional Indonesian formal wear to Western ball gowns on display last night, it was a colorful sight to behold indeed!

Once seated, everyone was free to dig into the delicious plates of Gado-gado (an Indonesian vegetable salad topped with a peanut sauce dressing) that had been laid out as opening remarks for the evening were delivered. As platters of Nasi Rames (a condensed version of Indonesian Rijsttafel) were distributed as the evening's main course, the lucky attendees were then treated to a live concert by a celebrated Indonesian pianist.

Thereafter, the dimming of the ballroom lights signaled the start of the night's signature event: The fashion show! Two of Indonesia's top designers, Oscar Lawalata and Denny Wirawan, had been selected to present their latest creations to the assembled audience.

While Lawalata's designs emphasized quiet elegance through contrasting shades of primarily darker colors, such as black, brown, and gold, Wirawan's concepts demonstrated a more playful foundation with more vivid colors (pink, blue, green, purple, etc.) and stylized accents (ruffles, sashes, bows, etc.). Regardless, all designs masterfully showcased a range of patterns, textures, and fabrics -- an important achievement given that the central purpose of the night's festivities was to promote Indonesia as a central market for textiles.

Yet, the fashion show and resulting excitement were not meant to be the final pieces of entertainment for the night. As a closing segment, eight musicians took the stage under the watchful direction of their conductor to perform a series of popular American and Indonesian songs by angklung -- a musical instrument made out of bamboo that originated in Indonesia.

Opening Angklung Performance

Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York"

Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"

And, in a surprise twist at the gala's end, each guest was generously gifted an angklung to keep with which the audience delivered a surprisingly good impromptu performance of its own!



Indonesia truly is a remarkable country (and a gracious host). Bravo!

Be sure to check out all of our photographs from this event HERE and tell us what you were wearing that night!