NYFW VIVIZUBEDI AW18

Indonesian designer Vivi Zubedi returned for her second NYFW to show her FW18 collection, Urang Banua. The modest wear designer from Jakarta filled the runway with traditional Islamic elements such as abaya and hijab, but mixed them with streetwear components like chunky sneakers and embellished baseball caps. Zubedi intends to bring Islamic fashion to the mainstream outlets of the US. Along with her own Islamic-inspired designs, Zubedi used halal makeup brand Wārdah Beauty to dress her models head-to-toe in the Muslimah style.

Blanc Magazine caught up with the designer backstage before the show.

What were the sources of inspiration for this collection?
The inspiration comes from Urang Banua, the theme for the collection. Urang Banua comes from Borneo in South Kalimantan. The inspiration is from their own traditional fabric called Sasirangan.

Who is the woman you want to wear your designs?
All the women in the world, not only for the modest girls, but for every girl.

How do you feel your designs relate to the current political climate in America?
I think it’s about women mattering; it’s about empowering women. The traditional fabric made by the artisans in South Kalimantan, and they are all women, they have their own hardships and their own lives, and they create the fabrics and their life from that fabric, so I think this is about women mattering. I want them to live happily and with equal rights.

What perceptions do you hope to change with your designs and shows?
Modest wear is not boring, it’s really playful!

What has been the most difficult part about designing for Muslim women in America?
I have to make sure everything is by the rules, like we cannot wear pants or tight blouses, we just need to be like this: stylish, but still loose. And covered.