MORAL presents their recollection of emotions. In celebration of their decade-long journey, MORAL presents an immersive and vulnerable fashion presentation.
To celebrate the brand’s 10-year milestone. MORAL presents “REKOLEKSI: EMOSI,” meaning a recollection of emotions. The brand started out back in February 2013 when they were just selling casual menswear pieces like tees and sweatshirts. In 2016, the brand started to expand its horizons from creating everyday essentials to creating a more contemporary and experimental take on unisex clothing.
Despite being an independent brand, MORAL has grown steadily into becoming one of the leading brands in a new wave of Indonesian designers that are changing the industry. The brand has also garnered various awards that further solidified its reign, including The Most Innovative Local Brand in the Jakarta Fashion Week New Fashion Force Award in 2017 and first prize in the Asia NewGen Fashion Award in Indonesia presented by Harper’s Bazaar.
Photography © Panji Indra.
This celebration took place in The Dome located at Senayan Park, Jakarta. There, the brand mapped out an un-stereotypical set design as guests sat in rings with the runways between each circle, allowing each row to get an up-close view of every look. With the show broken into four segments, the brand paid extra attention to creating an experiential mise-en-scene that lets audiences get immersed in the show’s emotive concept. In between each segment, an animated video interlude is projected onto the dome’s roof as the runway’s lighting and course also shift to represent the next segment.
The show was kicked off by the first segment: Angst. There, the models donned structured pieces with strong workwear-like silhouettes and eccentric touches, giving the looks a signature MORAL feel. Here, leather and metallics meet shades of brown, black, white, and red to create a strong, stern feel that oozes toughness and boldness. Despite the sturdy feel of the looks, some pieces also featured frills, panelling and cut-outs that gave it a more playful undertone.
Photography © Panji Indra.
Next, it was Joy. Unlike the first segment, this part of the show was filled with hues of blues, greens and cooler colours. The atmosphere drastically took a turn as models walked out in a more upbeat stride with grins on their faces as if they were walking on air. Shine that was previously a result of leather is now substituted with shimmer and metallics, and the fringes and sharp cuts were traded to ruched textures as this chapter gave a more lighthearted feeling to the show.
Following afterwards was Doubt, which was signified by the venue’s set going dim and the upbeat electro music shifting into a more melancholic tune. Here, big volumes, squared-up boxy shoulders and oversized outerwear were sported throughout the segment – perhaps a representation of how feelings of doubt and anxiety consume and overwhelm you. Models take one small step after another, letting the audience fully take in the details and embellishments present in pieces of their looks.
Photography © Panji Indra.
Lastly, there was Love. The dome then slowly turned into a bright shade of pink as the melancholic music turned into a dreamy one. Proportions and lengths were in play as the models donned miniskirts and hyper-cropped jackets. Hints of ruffles, cut-outs and leather were also seen amongst the segment, along with metallics and structured silhouettes – seemingly, Love consists of a blend of the many emotions one can experience. A highlight, however, is the closing look, consisting of an iridescent bustier with metallic horns jutting out from the side, styled with metallic pants that were even more complemented by the dome’s lights.
Although a plethora of looks were sent down the runway, conveying various moods and messages, the MORALDNA remains evident. This ability to show the brand’s individuality is an even greater feat once you find out that the collection was done in collaboration with 13 fellow Indonesian brands. Perhaps through countless meetings or shared synchronisation, it’s hard for many creative identities to collaborate and produce a cohesive vision.
When the show ended, guests were encouraged to get up on their feet and turn the runway venue into a rave-like afterparty – after all, the night was a celebration. As the night came to an end, we looked back on the showcase we had just experienced. Whether it’s through an exploration of their signature contemporary yet savvy aesthetics or a testament to how well-loved and identifiable the brand is amongst fellow local fashion players, the presentation was indeed an ode to MORAL. (Text Vanya Harapan)