Jakarta. Viscose rayon producer APR on Wednesday night made a smashing comeback at the 2023 Muslim Fashion Festival or Muffest+, in Jakarta to promote sustainable modest wear.

This marks the fifth year that APR made an appearance at 2023 Muffest+. 

This year, APR teamed up with six local designers, namely Aruna Creative, BT Batik Trusmi, Gajah Duduk, Geulis, IDE Indonesia, and Inen Signature. These designers had free rein to create modest wear designs using APR's sustainable viscose rayon fiber. The brands then came up with a total of 60 collections, which they then showcased at a fashion show themed “Jewel of Nation”.

Aruna Creative x Dnggo kicked off the evening with eco-friendly ready-to-wear designs. Models all in caps strutted the runway, giving it a fresh and sporty look. Next on the runway was IDE Indonesia with ten eco-print collections titled "Kemilau Swarna Raya". All designs had leaf motifs with a palette of yellow, orange, green, pink, and purple. Gajah Duduk showcased menswear with baju koko (shirts with Nehru collars) and sarong that are comfortable and sustainable at the same time.

Geulis, which literally translates into "beautiful" in Sundanese", stayed true to its name. Geulis brought out the Candramaya that exuded elegance. The designs took inspiration from Indonesian culture and the Javanese folktale Timun Mas.

The night went on with Inen Signature's earth-toned designs. Inen Signature took a more casual approach by mixing eco prints and batik in its Memandu Senja collection.

BT Batik Trusmi was the last to hit the runway. The brand combines denim with the mega mendung (cloud-patterned) batik motifs to give a modern touch to daily wear.

"Our collaboration with these brands at 2023 Muffest+ aligns with APR's support to contribute to the development of sustainable fashion in Indonesia, the post-Covid global modest fashion market, and also to help pave the way to make Indonesia the mecca of modest fashion,” Zoey Rasjid, the head of marketing communications at APR, said.

Viscose rayon is breathable and silky, so its popularity among modest wear designers should come as no surprise. The fabric is versatile as it is combinable with cotton and spandex. The renewable and biodegradable nature of viscose rayon makes it a sustainable fabric. 

APR set up a “Pavilion Indonesia '' booth at 2023 Muffest+ to showcase its “Everything Indonesia '' – the viscose rayon producer’s collaborations with the said six designers. APR also teamed up with three other brands, namely Ayurora, Elita, and Multi Sandang Tamajaya. Visitors can also learn more about the Jakarta Fashion Hub, a collaborative space for fashion designers.

Hosted by the Indonesian Fashion Chamber (IFC), this year's Muffest+ embraces the theme "Muslim Fashion for the World" and saw more than 150 designers participating. The event also hosted a trade show with over 200 fashion brands, competition, and international fashion collaboration. The Muffest+ fashion show aims to promote Indonesia as the mecca for modest fashion.