Gie is a creative force who refuses to be defined by a single title. As both a fine arts curator and an accessory designer, she bridges the gap between high fashion and deep-rooted cultural heritage.
Her journey into design took her to Milan to study jewelry and accessory making, but her heart remained in Indonesia. This fusion of Italian craftsmanship and Indonesian identity paid off in 2017, when she took second place at Jakarta Fashion Week. Her winning entry was a testament to sustainability, featuring hand-made explorations of ethically sourced ox bones and horns, materials collected only from waste or animals that had perished from natural causes.
In 2019, Gie launched her own brand, Wang Sinawang. The name is derived from a Javanese philosophy: 'Sajatine urip kuwi mung sawang sinawang,' which essentially means that life's essence depends on how we choose to view it.
Gie repeated this phrase as a form of meditation while traveling around Java, and it now permeates every piece she creates using silver, brass, pearl, and wood.
Her collections are rich with storytelling. One of her debut lines, Kamaratih Kamajaya, represents an authentic love story of two individuals in perfect harmony. The jewelry in this collection draws visual inspiration from the traditional Indonesian Wayang, or shadow puppets.
Nature also plays a pivotal role in her design language. Gie frequently channels the three national flowers of Indonesia: Jasmine, the massive Rafflesia Arnoldii, and the Moon Orchid. She uses them as meditative symbols akin to their use in Balinese Hindu practices.
Gie’s creativity expanded further during the pandemic. Noticing a surge in gardening interests, she began crafting a unique collection of hand-painted fans. While fans were historically introduced to the archipelago through Chinese trade and Dutch explorers, Gie made them distinctly Indonesian by utilising wayang materials and hand-painted leather. It is a modern approach that looks to the past to create something entirely new.
—
From Education to Activism
From her work with Creativite Indonesia educating the youth to her 'Speak Up' exhibition raising awareness for survivors of abuse, Gie’s impact goes far beyond jewelry. To read the full feature, check out ASCENSION, the 3rd volume of INTERLUNAR’s zine.
