Pearls from Southeast Asia

Juan Iskandar Wins IDA Silver for Ethnic Clothing 2023

Award Announcement

In 2023 the International Design Awards honoured Juan Iskandar with the Silver (Second Place) in the Ethnic Clothing category for his collection Pearls from Southeast Asia. The recognition celebrates a couture vision that bridges ritual, craft and contemporary runway language, and places a spotlight on the living traditions of Southeast Asian performance and dress.

About the International Design Awards

Founded in 2007 by designers, thinkers and entrepreneurs, the International Design Awards celebrate smart, sustainable and multidisciplinary design. The IDA exists to recognise work that combines craft, innovation and cultural awareness—qualities that Pearls from Southeast Asia exemplifies

The Proposal and Its Heart

Pearls from Southeast Asia began as a study of wayang—the Javanese puppet theatre where shadow, leather and gamelan music shape stories passed down through generations. Juan translated the textures, silhouettes and ceremonial presence of wayang into garments: layered panels that echo shadow play; leather and beadwork that reference puppet articulation; headpieces that read like stage masks. The collection honours the UNESCO-recognized heritage of wayang while reimagining its forms for haute couture.

Each piece in the proposal is a conversation between preservation and invention. Materials are chosen for tactility and longevity; trims and draping recall the movement of puppets and the cadence of gamelan. The result is clothing that reads as costume and as contemporary statement—rooted in ritual, designed for the present.

Relevance

The IDA’s Silver award recognises not only technical excellence but cultural sensitivity and storytelling through design. Juan’s work stands out because it does more than borrow motifs: it listens to a tradition and responds with respect. In a category that celebrates ethnic clothing from Africa, Asia and Latin America, Pearls from Southeast Asia offers a crystalline example of how fashion can preserve heritage while pushing creative boundaries.