Natasha Magazine
Haute Couture Accessories
Alston Stephanus’s fashion statement, "Dare to Dream Differently,” accurately represents him and describes his design for fashion accessories. Each accessory piece is made from a different philosophy, however the peacock is his main influence. With its wealth of color and elegant movements, Alston describes his major source of inspiration, "I was so attracted to the peacock for its bursts of color and its attitude, that I decided to create a series of accessories with its feathers."
His good friend, K. Kusmayadi, chairman of the Entrepreneurs Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers (APPMI), recently used many of Alston’s peacock feather accessories to support a fashion show. Embellished accessories were also featured in Jogja Fashion Week, held in late November 2006, to support the exhibition of the renowned Jogja designer Ramadhani A. Kadir. Alston collaborated with kebaya designer Anne Avantie to create the Indonesian national costume for Nadine Chandrawinata at the 2006 Miss Universe competition. Not only were peacock feathers used, but Alston also applied a variety of other materials like Swarovski crystals, brass, silver, French lace, and other bird feathers. For Alston, anything can be an inspiration in designing accessories.
Accessories take on a variety of forms such as earrings, necklaces, beautiful fans, brooches, hairpieces for kebayas, and belt buckles for men. Like a creative high-end fashion designer, Alston also creates special orders for his clients. Many fashion stylists predict that the color gold will be trending in 2007, but Alston argues that brass will be a better trend for fashion accessories. The stylist’s prediction does not force him to follow the trend and be stuck to just golden hues. He still makes creations according to his heart. The best is yet to come for this enchanting man.
Dressage: The Riding Category of High Artistic Merit
This young and talented hi-fashion accessories designer has been involved in his horse-mounting hobby since he was 5 years ago. Alston Stephanus felt love at first sight the moment saw a horse. With this passion, he decided in mid-2001 to become a member of the Horsing School – Stable FALCO, which is located on Jl. Pamulang Barat No.3 Ciputat. Basically, he loves all animals, so it’s not difficult to feel close to his horse named Oreo. “I consider my horse just like my brother,” he said. This hobby had brought Alston to many competitions both national and international. One competition in particular made a lasting impression on this innocent-faced young man. It was when he and his team participated in PON 2004 in Palembang, representing the province of West Sumatra. The international mounting competition that he participated in was the Championships in Singapore of 2003, which was held by the Singapore Polo Club.
Horse mounting and fashion, which he does professionally, are closely related because the mounting category that he participates in is Dressage or ‘Tunggang Serasi’. Dressage is portrayed as the ‘master’ of all horse mounting categories due its high artistic value. The aim of dressage is to develop the physic of the horse and the harmony between the horse and the equestrian. What is seen are the beauty and elegance of the horse, which is athletic, resilient and flexible, moving to the equestrian’s commands. Judging will include every aspect of the connection between the equestrian and the horse, including their appearance from head to toe and their performance.
Complete capability of the dressage master is needed in order to achieve absolute perfection. The equestrian’s proficiency and the horse’s talent are not enough without a harmonic relationship between them. The equestrian’s intuition combined with the mental condition of the horse is what is needed to achieve a real harmony, which aims to make dressage a true art form: Grand Prix de Dressage.