by Ezra Natalia
Established in 2006, Sticking to this more authentic concept, Nikicio is personally attached to each garment and chooses smart fabrics that can be worn a variety of ways. "I want the collection to be personal," she says, "a part of a person's everyday life but we all know that people hide sometimes, and I try to bring them a comfortable place to conceal, take the load off and dress up." Below are a few more insights from the designer. Do you think that drawing is an innate talent or you have to learn it? What happened to the fashion designs you made when you were kid? How important is illustration, music and photography to your collection and how much does it influence your work? Continue reading (and see more images)… Whatever bands I listen to at the moment will affect my work. For vol.3 I listened to Joy Division and The Kills a lot. So the collection feels tougher and raw. But i still keep the main essence of Nikicio in mind every time i design the collection. Which other art, places or people inspires you? You reveal some of your techniques on your blog . Do you always follow one rule, many rules or do you have any at all? By your clothing's proportions, I can tell one of your favorite influence is menswear cuts, why is that? What's your favorite work? As a fashion designer, is there anything you would refuse to make? How do you define your work? What would be the dream situation for you as an designer? What other local designers you admire and respect and why? Last but not least, where can we get your stuff?
I am a firm believer that talent is meaningless without any effort and hard work.
The first thing i made using sewing machine was a handkerchief when i was seven. I don't know what happened to it.
This might sound odd, but laborers, the elders and poor people on the streets inspire me. Unlike us, they don't have a choice to dress themselves. They just throw whatever they have. I find their way of dressing to be truly unique.
I have one rule for Nikicio which is that I never use an overlocking machine. All the seams and finishing have to be sewn according to couture standards. But for Nikicio's projects, I have none. The projects don't necessarily link with Nikicio and they are dedicated for people who takes risks and take fashion less seriously. It's totally different market from Nikicio.
My biggest influence in fashion is actually my father. He's the man of exquisite taste. He always has the best shoes, pants, shirts and jackets. And I never liked tight-fitting clothes so I was constantly raiding my brothers closet growing up. On top of that, there's nothing sexier than a woman wearing a man's shirt.
The embroidered quilted blanket from vol.01. It took me months to finish it.
Wedding gowns. I'm sorry but it's just too much pressure.
Neat, personal and unpredictable.
I want Nikicio to be as famous as Persil and as classic as Chanel.
Obin. She managed to bring Indonesian culture forward and never limits her designs.
Just send us an email to sales [at] nikicio [dot] com to order. We're going to have an online shopping web by next year so it's easier for our overseas customers amd we're also going to be stocked in Fab.e boutique, Kemang (Jakarta, Indonesia) very soon.