Friday, October 19, 2012

IKA BUTONI Interviewed by M Style

 
M Style Interview
 
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
 
IKA BUTONI, a member of Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, has been showing her work at Hong Kong Fashion Week since 1985. Her work is available in 35 different countries, including Japan, France and the States. This year, IKA is opening her first ever retail shop at Mira Mall.

Mira: What’s fueled your passion in fashion all these years?

IKA: I loved painting during my childhood. In 1976 the fashion scene was taking off and Hong Kong Fashion Week started to become the most outstanding event in Asia. I felt it was a good decision to take the path of fashion designing.

Mira: Embroidery is often found in your designs, why do you love this element so much?

IKA: Embroidery is part of the traditional art and culture, but now the younger generation is less interested in it. Through my collection, I would like to bring awareness to the world, for example, the MIAO Collection which I created to highlight the beauty of the MIAO Culture.

Mira: Where do you draw inspiration from?

IKA: I firmly believe that I draw inspiration from my travels and interactions with people from different lands. They give me ideas and sprinkles of creation.

Mira: Your work is found all over the world, why choose Hong Kong to open your first retail shop?

IKA: My designs used to reach customers through wholesalers, but I’ve always thought how wonderful it would be to meet them face to face. So I started thinking about opening a retail shop. Hong Kong, it’s where I started my path in fashion so I open my first retail shop here.

Jacket - Black No. A1004FAJBB Price: $4000.00

IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
Necklace - Yellow/Brown No. E0398TYXEF00 Price: $1400.00 
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
Dress - Blue/Beige No. A2205APCIP Price: $2900.00 
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
Blouse - Off White No. A0181DBCVV Price: $2200.00 
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
Dress - Red/Black No. A1916ABACB Price: $2900.00
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
IKA BUTONI - Mira Mall - M Style
Click Here for Full Version of 《M Style》 

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Experience Mira Mall Grand Opening with IKA BUTONI

Here come with us to experience the most intimate and elegant shopping destination in Hong Kong!


The brand new 4-storey mall - latest retail concept - facing the busy Nathan Road features 2-storey high flagship stores of international fashion brands.


It offers an intimate, stress-free and relaxed shopping experience in the heart of Tsimshatsui, filled with stylish cafés and speciality beauty shops for a complete leisurely shopping and dining experience. Offering ever wider selections of the latest fashion and accessories, it boasts an eclectic mix of popular labels and renowned brands including leading American designer of luxury lifestyle handbags COACH, celebrated lifestyle fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger and high-end fashion label specialist TWIST. Lifestyle store collect point spans the entire basement, boasting over 22,000 sq. ft., where shoppers can expect the hottest fashion brands, home furnishings and a Wired Café. NorieM, SENSOUNICO, Sebago and IKA BUTONI has launched for the first time in Hong Kong at Mira Mall too.


The Mira Mall official Grand Opening included: Carnival activities include game booths, live jazz, champagne and snacks to share, popcorn redemption, at the Mira Mall, 118 Nathan Road, Mira Mall-multimedia dance performances, champagne and snacks to share, limited edition gifts and merchant celebrate promotion Fashion BlogStyle GuideShopper of the month.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Behind the Label IKA BUTONI - Afrique - Hannah Hodson

Who is behind it? 

Hong kong-based, Indonesian-born Ika Butoni started her eponymous fashion label back in 1983. With outlets on five continents, the brand has made a name for itself thanks to the exceptional embroidery and unique cuts which, Butoni says, are inspired by her travels and ‘interactions with people from different lands’. Her latest collection, Afrique, features pieces adorned with macramé and shells, and others made from traditional Indonesian ikat prints.


Afrique - IKA BUTONI
Afrique - IKA BUTONI
Why we love it: Butoni has created a beautiful mélange of cultures. We are presented with colourful, tailored, contemporary garments infused with the history and culture of faraway lands. A member of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association, she has remained artistic while taking a different path to that of her contemporaries. We wouldn’t recommend the headpieces for a trip to the shops, however.

What we’d pick: the multicoloured tunic top (HK$3,000), incorporating an unusual clash of colours and hand-worked piping, and the leopard-point leggings (both left; HK$1,000), although we’d recommend wearing them separately. We also like the blue jersey, graphic-print trousers (HK$1,000) with red, white and blue top (both far left; HK$3,000). The ornate tribal-inspired necklaces are HK$3,000 each and the headpieces are made to order.

Where can you get it? Ika Butoni is in The Mira hotel, 118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2311 7238.
Afrique - IKA BUTONI - Post Magazine
Afrique - IKA BUTONI - Post Magazine

Out of Africa by IKA BUTONI - COLLEZIONI


IKA BUTONI ‘Afrique’ Collection Online! Click Here to See More Pictures.

Out of Africa

“Afrique” is the title of Ika Butoni’s new Spring-Summer collection. The designer has been particularly inspired by the proud Tuareg people, Muslims known also as “the blue men from the desert” thanks to their indigo-blue clothing. The mixture of African colours with Tuareg art is the foundation of Ika’s collection, which takes the idea of combining differing styles and uses it to achieve joyously vivid creations that are also both comfortable and extremely attractive. “Afrique” offers garments that are created using stretch fabrics and knits, beautified by an abundance of bold patterns, adorned with macramé, shell stones and miniature pearls, all perfectly ready-to-wear and matchable with brilliantly printed leggings.



Sunday, October 14, 2012

Blessing Day of IKA BUTONI Store.

14th October 2012 marked the Blessing Day of IKA BUTONI Store. 

According to the Chinese Tradition in Asia generally, Hong Kong and China particularly, the Lion dance - an intriguing dance in which performers mimic the beast's movements in a lion costume - It has a long history with records of more than 2,000 years. Lion is the king of animals. Lion Dance is often related to be a blessings of wealth and good fortune. It represents courage, energy and wisdom and it is thought to bring good luck on the people witnessing the ceremony.


The celebrations started on the 14 Oct. 2012 , 15.00 at the entrance of Mira Mall. A troupe of lion dancers in gold and green fire up the passionate crowd.


Lion Dance @Mira Mall - IKA BUTONI
Lion Dance @Mira Mall - IKA BUTONI

The Lion arrived at the IKA BUTONI store to bring blessings of 'wealth and good fortune'.
Lion Dance @Mira Mall - IKA BUTONI
Lion Dance @Mira Mall - IKA BUTONI










 

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

The 11th FCC Charity Ball & Auction

The 11th FCC Charity Ball & Auction - IKA BUTONI
Guests Show Interest in Ika's Donation
The 11th FCC Charity Ball & Auction - IKA BUTONI
Dresses for This Event
On October 6th 2012, the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) hosted their eleventh Hong Kong Charity Ball at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. IKA BUTONI donated a set of 2 dresses for this event.

The event is to ensure that every child can receive a suitable education, and this year the FCC is helping the Po Leung Kuk/UBS/ FCC Language Training Program, the Po Leung Kuk/Merrill Lynch/FCC Children’s Learning Centre, the Po Leung Kuk/UBS/FCC Child Development Program, the Po Leung Kuk/Henrik Nielsen/FCC Scholarship Fund and the Po Leung Kuk/Sprouts Foundation/FCC Education Services Centre.


Australia’s most famous rock export, INXS, and a child prodigy guitarist from Japan also took to the stage at this year’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club Charity Ball.
The 11th FCC Charity Ball & Auction - IKA BUTONI
A Set of 2 Dresses Designed by IKA BUTONI

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

AFRIQUE - IKA BUTONI's S/S 2013 Collection

IKA BUTONI - Afrique
IKA BUTONI - Afrique

Afrique derives from the French word, which literally means Africa, is the theme for Ika’s S/S collection.

IKA BUTONI - Afrique
IKA BUTONI - Afrique
The continent is popular with many tribes, one notably outstanding is the Tuareg, an African Muslim tribe, which often  referred to as the Blue Man of the Desert because their wardrobe is dyed indigo blue. The Tuareg men are very proud of their fighting skills while their women actively produce daily life provisions for the whole clan. They are also excellent craftsmen renowned for their cloth, jewelry, and carved wooden mask.

The combination of colorful Africa and daring Tuareg artworks have inspired many brainstorming sessions before coming into terms with the ideas of matching the distinctive styles, being playfully bright, yet comfortable and attractive among the crowds. Those are the core competences of IKA BUTONI label, which remain strong through the industry.






ACTIVE 2013

IKA BUTONI - Afrique
IKA BUTONI - Afrique
Active piece wear should come into natural forces in 2013, which attributed to the basic requirements in the Afrique collections.

Rising from the stretch, knitted fabrics, with the embellishment on the various patterns, adorned in macramé, shell stones, and beads jewelry,
Afrique pieces are prêt a porte, wonderfully matched with multi printed leggings.

Decorative designs hold side by side among floral, animal, plain earth sands, and geometrical lines, while investing on some of the
Indonesian ikat woven clothing, as the cultural complimentary background to the nomadic African philosophy.

Afrique collections were shown as the Spring – Summer 2013 Collection. The event is organized twice yearly by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, to uphold Hong Kong as the leader of the apparel industry in Asia. Thirty of IKA collections were paraded to the 400 audience and captured the new contracts from buyers.

Monday, October 8, 2012

FCC - Foreign Correspondence Club - Annual Charity Ball

As much as I love what I do daily, breaking the routine was surely welcome, especially for a meaningful event as the FCC Annual Charity Ball.


The FCC - Foreign Correspondence Club - held an annual Charity Ball in aid of the Po Leung Kuk Scholarship Fund and the Language Training Program. The evening was attended by 1500 beautiful people and expatriate of Hong Kong, ready to donate while attending one the most entertaining and well organised events in Hong Kong.
 
 
Big names and important players poured in anxiously to be part of Hong Kong Help for the needy by sponsoring their products in the Silent Auction. Showing their supports were also wine and alcohol companies, Champagne, Vodka, Tequila and Red wines... I was very happily tipsy by the end...*_@


I definitely love to be part of this event again next year, promising to prepare for a better support for the charity to come.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Let's Party! - IKA BUTONI new shop


With her plans for globalization in mind, Ika Butoni set her eyes on opening her very first flagship store in the heart of Tsim sha tsui, Hong Kong. Located at the 2nd floor of the Mira Mall, owned and operated by the Mira Hotel, she hopes to attract both local and foreign customers who love fashion as much as she does.
Her ready- to- wear collection, designed for the modern and active woman, will be viewed for the very first time by press and VIPs at the grand opening on August 31, 2012. Guests of honor include the Indonesian consulate general, Mr. Teguh Wardoyo and TVB artist and former Ms. Hong Kong, Sandy Lau.


CELEBRATING A LIFE IN FASHION
IKA BUTONI First Flagship Store in Hong Kong
IKA BUTONI First Flagship Store in Hong Kong

Her name 'IKA' means “a thousand islands united as one”. Her designs allow others to get a glimpse of the rich Indonesian culture and beyond.

Indonesia-born, Hong Kong based fashion designer Ika, treats desi... gning as a serious issue. “For me fashion design is not persay a career but a way to express myself day to day”. She said, “because Indonesians are so culturally gifted, my colour sense has been enriched. My roots also contribute to my major strength in embroidery, which I use a lot in my collections.” She realized very early in her career that there is no alternative to hard work, while design is subjective to the viewer. Having reconciled to this, she discovered that there are successive layers of inspiration in creating a collection, thinking of herself as a spectator in the imaginary world. “I firmly believe that I draw inspirations from my travels and my interactions with people from different lands that help me to develop the basic ingredients of my creations sprinkled with constant research of fabrics, continual experimentations with new embroideries and staying abreast of new technologies.

I have always wanted to be creative and different in every approach to being artistic. The name 'designer' was not so important. Perhaps because in Germany where I started designing, designers were always called Stylist."

She left L’Estelle (a German fashion house) because of her mother saying that an Asian wife should not leave her husband for a job overseas. After working many years for L'Estelle, Ika left and started on her own as a make to order fashion designer service. Ika lasted 2 years, as she learned women prefer to be advised by a male designer/ tailor, not by a female. Ika left the job to do what she did best, designing for export. As soon as she decided to do this, the development accelerated. Ika joined the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in 1985 for that year's Trade Exhibition. By 1990 her exports reached Europe. Currently with Fashion Trade Fairs and Fashion Shows twice a year in Hong Kong, Ika prides herself in being the longest lasting HKTDC designer taking part in their events.

She describes her work as the most beautiful and exciting aspect of her world. The emerging creativity and experimentation takes her to new heights of elaborate detailing and finishes by having lots of fun!!! The ultimate challenge is to take design to an elevated level, to keep stimulated and to complete the mindset in the world of realisation by involving challenging new technical embroideries and handworks.

Her bicultural existences have been a big influence because it opened her mind up to so many different ways of life. Evolving from the Indonesian culture, she has always wanted to explore the unknown streets of other cultures. Because of this, Ika is inspired by modern women who lead active busy lives, people in general with strong personalities that love life and nature.

Ika claims that the success of her company is due to the great team work, unusual designs that differ from the current trend, and adding accessories as final touches to the finishing of a garment. It’s an exciting process for her team to work in the Butoni 'fashion kitchen'. Since 2003, Butoni has grown tremendously. With her partner, John Keilman (from Holland), they work with scores of talented staff covering 3 floors, satisfying clients from all over the world. The range now includes a men’s wear collection, with the increasing demands for more designs.
IKA BUTONI First Flagship Store in Hong Kong
IKA BUTONI First Flagship Store in Hong Kong

What is your design philosophy?
To always inject creativity into design. Fortunately, most of Ika's collections have been well received.

Through Butoni Limited, the 'IKA' label sells to KINJI Boutique, Intercontinental and Peninsula hotels-Hongkong, New Zealand, Australia, South East Asia, Japan, Korea, UAE ( Middle East), France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, England, USA, Canada and South Africa. IKA's clientelle, apart from people all over the world, also includes the Hong Kong celebrities.

What's your motto?
To feel passionate, strive for creativity, saleability in designs while having lots of fun.

What's your philosophy?
To be myself, to be consistent, not to lose my personality and identity.

What's the most important lesson that you've learned?
Be passionate about your work, believe in yourself, trust your instincts, then everything else will follow.

What's your ultimate goal?

To be happy, to live life to the fullest, to be useful to people around, and to give back to my parent and to my Country.

What about expansion?
"I have watched worldly designers’ expand too rapidly, they loose their initial design qualities as their team aggressively markets them commercially, and then failed miserably.

I wish to develop gradually in order to control the flow of good quality design, to support our buyers who are also our best marketing tools and to help them expand their clientele".

IKA
The Founder and Managing Director of Butoni Ltd., Hong Kong, since 1983.
The Hong Kong Fashion Designers’ Association (HKFDA) senior member since 1985.
The Founder and Chairman of the Moda Bali Foundation, since 1999.
The Founder and Chairman of the International Bali Fashion Week – Indonesia, since 2000.

Flagship Shop Opened in Mira Mall



IKA BUTONI
IKA BUTONI Flagship Shop Grand Opening

 Passion for Fashion


Channeling her love for art and fashion, IKA BUTONI took private courses at the Far East Dressmaking and Design School in Hong Kong when she was off duty from work at Cathay Pacific. She designed a small fashion collection, stitched the dresses herself and built her portfolio to apply for fashion schools in London. When she was accepted by the London College of Fashion, she decided to quit her job as flight attendant and chased her passion all the way to London.
After graduating in 1979, she was hired by LEstelle DOre, a prestigious haute couture house located in Berlin. She became part of the production team of the fashion house for four years and learned more about the industry. Armed with knowledge and experience, Ika decided to start her own fashion business in 1983. She returned to Hong Kong and started her business in a small office in Tsim Sha Tsui, an urban area in southern Kowloon.

IKA BUTONI Goes Global

In 1985, she joined the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and participated in trade shows in Asia and then in 1990, in Europe. She has participated at the Hong Kong Fashion Week every year since then, which earned her a place among the senior members of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers Association. Today, IKA BUTONI exports her fashion collections to buyers in 35 countries around the world. Her collections are now sold in Germany, France, Italy, UK, Denmark, UAE, USA, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
IKA BUTONI Sandy Lau Miss Hong Kong
Sandy Lau - Miss Hong Kong

First Flagship Store in Hong Kong
With her plans for globalization in mind, IKA BUTONI set her eyes on opening her very first flagship store in the heart of Tsim sha tsui, Hong Kong. Located at the 2nd floor of the Mira Mall, owned and operated by the Mira Hotel, she hopes to attract both local and foreign customers who love fashion as much as she does.
Her ready- to- wear collection, designed for the modern and active woman, will be viewed for the very first time by press and VIPs at the grand opening on August 31, 2012. Guests of honor include the Indonesian consulate general, Mr. Teguh Wardoyo and TVB artist and former Ms. Hong Kong, Sandy Lau.

For more information about IKA BUTONI, visit www.ikabutoni.com