Whiteboard Journal hosted our third event on September 24, 2013 at Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan. For approximately two hours, participants gathered in a cozy corner of the bookstore to talk about various aspects of fashion – a theme that many might tend to associate with glamour.
However, the very responsive participants proved that fashion encompasses many more things than expensive brands and glamourous lifestyles. Fashion is, without us realizing it, an integral part of our daily lives. The clothes that we choose to wear as well as those we decide not to have the equal power to define us. When we look at fashion from this perspective, the topic becomes something that is “closer to home” and therefore much easier to ponder over and talk about.
- Digital platforms such as blogs and websites “democratize fashion,” according to one participant.
- In response to Sally Singer’s quote in which she laments over the fact that many fashion enthusiast these days use fashion for “personal branding” as opposed to genuine self-expression, another participant noted that claiming to not care about one wears is just another way to achieve personal branding.
- Famous bloggers such as Face Hunter and The Sartorialist act as “curators” who dictate what people around the world choose to wear. In other words, it is not necessarily the personal style of these individuals that influence the choices of fashion enthusiast, but what these individuals say is or is not good.
- And yet even if the Internet has made it easier to access foreign references, the items these influential figures recommend might not be available in certain countries. This limitation encourages online shopping – which might blur the line between what is considered local and not.
- The harmony between the functions and aesthetics of clothes is important, but a participant noted that sometimes, the aesthetics of a particular clothing item is actually the function. E.g. a beautiful gown that is not practical in the daily context serves its function when worn at special occasions.
- Idealism and practicality become important issues when talking about the development of fashion.
- The world of fashion must have and acknowledge “bad fashion” to survive because it pushes for new innovations and changes, as one participant stated.
- One of the most crucial points of the discussion, however, was that it is impossible to separate fashion with culture.
Please feel free to tweet us @wjournal #WeDiscuss. Or send us an e-mail to with the subject title “We Discuss #3" if you would like to comment on any of the above points.
We would like to thank those who came and contributed to the third We Discuss meeting. We hope to see you again in future discussions. Next month’s theme is: . Further details on the theme will be posted on our website.
We Discuss #3 is less than a week away, and to help you prepare for the discussion, we have compiled the following references.
Global Lifestyles with Yvan Rodick (Face Hunter)
“Beyond any trends, there is a deeper factor that expresses the culture.”
In his interview with Whiteboard Journal, he uses the example of the Scandinavian taste for "fashion that isn't sexualized" — which is an expression of a culture where gender equality has been achieved. He goes on to say that fashion is an "extension and expression of culture." How do these different expressions affect the way trends develop in each culture?
A Fashion Standard with Auguste Soesastro
“Context means where you’re going. I think a lot of designers here create gala gowns. I mean where are you going to go with that in Jakarta? There is no occasion to wear that. The lifestyle here is malls, resorts and going to lunch I guess. So I think the clothes must be appropriate for that and the weather is hot so you shouldn’t make things with polyester. And also this is a country with a huge muslim population so you have to be considerate about that, too.”
How can both designers and consumers nurture an awareness towards the local context when we are constantly exposed to foreign sources/references?
An Interview with Jennifer Wiebking on Freunde von Freunden
“I think that fashion serves as applied arts. At least, it has this function at best. Fashion always has a practical purpose. Fashion is there to be worn, it has its own right. There is a reason for the existence of fashion and art. It is like design, which has something pragmatic and practical. But of course, something shown on the runway always functions as an art performance. On the other hand, one doesn’t see many women wearing those particular skirts in the streets. Again, it proves itself as an example of applied arts.”
Wiebking’s idea on the practical purpose of fashion goes hand in hand with Auguste Soesastro’s claim that clothing has to be functional:
“Clothing has to be ergonomic. That’s number one, because if it’s not, it is a costume. I think design has to fulfill a certain function not just aesthetic values because I think a lot of designers nowadays, especially the younger generations have completely abandoned the idea of function. It’s all about aesthetics, the “Wow!” factor, the shock value of fashion and I think it has moved away from what fashion really is.”
Is it possible to maintain a balance between aesthetics and function be achieved?
Sally Singer on Her First Year at , the ‘Comic Mess’ of Fashion Week Street Style, and More
“I look at how people put themselves together and how the kids put themselves together. It is actually fascinating to me. The particular circus around the shows is, to me, a bit of a comic mess at this point. I see people who I know have borrowed clothes, who are purposely dressing in ways to get photographed, but are not expressive of themselves or of the season or of anything. It’s the same drive that has people doing reality TV, kind of personal branding, you know? And a desperate attempt for sort of quasi-celebrity.”
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
7—9 pm
Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan
(near the language section)
Jl. Asia Afrika 8
Sogo Plaza Senayan Lt. 5
Jakarta 10270
For further information, please look out for updates on our Facebook page and Twitter account! If you’d like to share your opinions, or if you have friends who’d like to share theirs, sign up via e-mail with the subject title “We Discuss” at ! If you have comments or questions, tweet us .
We’ve already talked about education and national identity in the first two meetings. What are we going to discuss about this month?
Has the Internet era given birth to a global taste? In the case of fashion, Yvan Rodick, a popular blogger known as Facehunter, claims that the opposite is true. “People think being an individual is cool so they try to use elements that already exist from somewhere else but they would do their own mix, and in the end I think there is more diversity,” he noted in an interview with Whiteboard Journal. Are our standards of aesthetics in fashion shaped by the Internet’s diverse sources?
- If what Rodick said about individuality was right, does this mean that the Internet has given individuals the confidence to explore and develop their own tastes instead of solely relying on certain iconic figures?
- Have fashion blogs such as and become main references?
- Are print fashion magazines still relevant? Or has the Internet managed to turn the locality of magazines accessible to an international audience, hence creating the same impact as fashion blogs?
- Aesthetics vs. Function
- According to Auguste Soeasastro, more and more attention is paid to the aesthetics of fashion rather than its practicality. Can this emphasis on the aesthetic aspect of fashion affect the way people respond to beauty?
- What will happen if fashion turns into an object of art devoid of function regardless of the creative energy that went into it?
’s Sally Singer once noted that it is important to pay attention to cultural contexts in order to truly understand fashion. But since obtaining references from sources outside one’s own comfort zone, how should one know where one culture ends and another begins?
Does culture affect what is considered to be “good fashion”?
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
7—9 pm
Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan
(near the language section)
Jl. Asia Afrika 8
Sogo Plaza Senayan Lt. 5
Jakarta 10270
For further information, please look out for updates on our Facebook page and Twitter account! If you’d like to share your opinions, or if you have friends who’d like to share theirs, sign up via e-mail with the subject title “We Discuss” at ! If you have comments or questions, tweet us .
On August 27, 2013, we had our second event at Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan. This month’s theme is national identity, which is a big part of who we are and aren’t (or believe to be or not be), whether we realize it or not. A majority of the participants who voiced their opinions have experienced living outside their home countries, and can therefore compare and contrast different ways of life.
Despite the nomadic tendencies of the current generation, and how migration – both in the physical sense and that achieved through the Internet – has made national identity more fluid, the values of one particular city, region or country still prove to be more dominant than others in a person’s life. While travelling and relocating can indeed expand one’s point of view, there is still one main reference point that is used as the basis of processing new information and experiences.
- It is almost impossible to come to the conclusion that there is only one single sense of national identity. As one participant noted, everyone has multiple layers of identity – citizenship, ethnicity, and worldview. All aspects need to be analyzed if one seeks to have a deeper understanding of one’s own national identity.
- Another participant highlighted the difference between the state and the nation, and how one typically has a strong relationship with only one of the two.
- There were also repetitive comments on the flaws of Indonesia, as well as how they can or cannot be fixed. Here, the big question was whether we should look at more advanced nations as an example to simply emulate or use as references that we adapt to our own context.
- Following the previous point, it also becomes apparent that comparing ourselves to our past selves as opposed to the current state of others will be more useful if we aspire to improve and develop.
- In the international setting, Indonesia is still regarded as a “third world nation” despite signs of modernity across the country (particularly in the big cities). Participants argued on how to cope with that label. Have we come to accept that label by simply ignoring it, or does it serve as an incentive to show what we are capable of? Is it even necessary to prove others wrong? Would it benefit us?
- History, and the relationship that we have with the history of our nation, was also one of the popular topics in last night’s discussion. Do we need to understand the past in order to strengthen our sense of belonging?
Since the discussion’s participants were mostly Indonesian citizens, most of the topics were heavily focused on Indonesia. However, it is clear that with the Internet, those who had never lived abroad are also exposed to foreign culture, politics, ideas, public figures, etc. – even if the depth of their involvement may vary.
The combination of physical and cyber migration has brought us to the idea of “world citizenship.” Perhaps this generation is more connected with the world compared to those of previous eras, but what if the connection remains at a philosophical level? Would a legitimate document enforcing that sense of connectedness with the world change the way we make sense of our existence? Would it make us want to become members of smaller groups, even if it is not based on nations (e.g. interests and ideologies)?
When the Greek philosopher, Diogenes announced, “I am a citizen of the world,” was he just being philosophical or did he have something more practical in mind?
If you would like to share your thoughts on any of the above points or respond to the questions, please feel free to tweet us @wjournal #WeDiscuss. Or send us an e-mail to with the subject title “We Discuss #2.”
The Whiteboard Journal team would like to thank those who joined the second We Discuss meeting. We hope to see you again in future discussions. Next month’s theme is: . Stay tuned for the specific topics!
is back! Last month, we talked about education. The theme of the next meeting is . Our discussion will revolve around — though certainly not limited to — the following topics.
“I am a citizen of the world,” said Diogenes, the Greek philosopher, at a time when airplanes and the Internet had not yet been invented. Today, we find ourselves in a world where international migration occurs so frequently that summarizing our sense of self in one sentence just won’t cut it. Is it really possible to become who Diogenes claimed to be? Was he simply rejecting the influence of his roots?
- “Homeland” vs. “Passport country”
- How does the way we relate to our roots affect our perception of the world?
- Only other people call us by our names. We only say them when we are introducing ourselves to others. Is this also the case for one’s nationality, cultural background, religion, etc.?
- Can we understand ourselves better by living among people whose ways are different from our own?
- Does the ease with which we can travel from one place to another increase our connection to our roots or does continuous exposure to a mix of cultural influences diminish/erase that connection?
- One’s passport country is still a physical place regardless of the identity we have shaped for ourselves. But is national loyalty still relevant in this cosmopolitan era?
- Do advanced technologies such as gadgets and the Internet create an illusion of "world citizenship"?
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
7–9 pm
Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan
Jl. Asia Afrika 8
Sogo Plaza Senayan Lt. 5
Jakarta 10270
Please look out for updates on our Facebook page and Twitter account! If you are looking for a forum to express your opinions, register via e-mail with the subject title “We Discuss” at ! Or if you have questions, tweet us .
Last night (30/07/2013), we had our first event at Kinokuniya Plaza Senayan. Since was the theme of this month’s discussion, an issue that all of us can relate to on so many different levels, there was an interesting exchange of ideas, reflections, and criticisms. There were a lot of micro-debates that resulted from the fact that our participants approached education from a variety of perspectives. After all, what is a discussion without a handful of disagreements? Thankfully, there were points that were collectively approved, as well as some humourous moments here and there to ease the tension.
- Education ought to be understood in a wider cultural context
- Formal schooling helps to structure one's thoughts
- Teachers/educators have the role of guiding and encouraging students
- Self-taught learners need to find an effective way to process the information they consume
- Comparing systems of education, as well as the glorification of numbers (test scores, school ranks) seem to be a problem in many parts of the world (not only in Indonesia)
- One should avoid an “either/or” approach as formal and informal methods can coexist
- The failures of the schooling system are caused by a number of things; from the never-ending demands of society to the inconvenient structure of the system itself
- Grades can have the positive effect of encouraging discipline, as well as the negative effect of creating a competitive culture (winners vs. losers)
- The pursuit of education can be seen from a practical point of view (to earn a better living), an ideal point of view (self-enrichment)
- Education entails confidence and the process of absorbing values
In the end, it all came down to the following question:
If you would like to answer the question or share your thoughts on any of the above points, please feel free to tweet us @wjournal #WeDiscuss. Or send us an e-mail to with the subject title "We Discuss #1."
Last but not least, we would like to thank those who joined Whiteboard Journal’s first We Discuss meeting! We hope to see a great mix of familiar and new faces next month. Hint for next month’s theme: .
