The Comfortable and Long Lasting Nikicio

This is a story about a young Indonesian designer who's getting people attention because of her unique and fabulous designs of clothing. her collections now can be found not only in Indonesia, but also in Singapore and Netherlands.

For the past three years,  Nina Karina Nikicio has worked hard to establish her label, Nikicio. Focusing on wearable pieces and classic styles, the label is receiving more and more recognition each year. Under Nikicio, Nina designs for four different lines that include men’s and women’s wear.

On Wednesday night, Nina held a fashion show to display her new collection at The Goods Dept, the concept department store which opened in Plaza Indonesia two weeks ago. It is the ninth store to sell Nikicio’s collections, which can also be found in Bandung, Bali, Singapore and Amsterdam. The new collection is entitled The White Oleander, which is also the title of a book by Janet Fitch that Nina read some time ago. The book tells the story of a child’s coming of age. Nina said she also watched the movie adaptation of the story and was hugely inspired by it, so much so that she designed her new collection around its themes. “When you watch the movie, you will think of three words to describe it — beautiful, dangerous and proud,” Nina said. The ideas behind these words, Nina said, were also her inspiration for a new collection for Nikicio’s Femme line, which is aimed at female executives aged 25-35. The White Oleander collection also reflects some of the changes in Nina’s personality. She said the urge to create a more feminine look came not only from reading The White Oleander, but also from the fact that she is growing up. “I’m becoming a woman. I have started wearing skirts and dresses,” Nina said.  “Before, I didn’t do dresses. Now I do.”

However, she said, she wants her skirts and dresses to be both feminine and comfortable. “Something comfortable and long lasting is what the Nikicio label is all about.”

One of the pieces from the new collection is a long, black dress with flowery patterns that look mysterious yet feminine. The dress falls just above the ankles, which appears sexy in an awkward kind of way. Other dresses have a simple cut with the back side longer than the front, complete with a tie to accentuate the waist. There is one particular piece that embraces modesty — the pairing of a gray, houndstooth dress with a pair of loose pants in camel, which is predicted to be the trendy color next year. Nina’s new collection also features cropped, oversized sweaters paired with hot pants and shirts for a relaxed yet polished look.

Another piece of outer wear from the collection is a classic, double-buttoned trench coat. For a bohemian look, the coat is paired with a long, asymmetrical gray skirt and a semicircular travel bag. Nikicio’s The White Oleander also features a new signature dress, a miniature version of one of her previous pieces. It is available in jersey or chiffon and can be worn in different ways to create 25 unique styles. Nina said she made the dress shorter so it would be much more comfortable for women to use as a top or a shawl. The signature dress is an embodiment of one of her design principles, which is to create pieces that are versatile and of long-term value to consumers. In this collection, Nina utilizes a wide variety of local fabrics.  She uses Indonesian textiles from Bali, such as faux leather, batik and ikat prints. There is a touch of ikat in the structured jacket, which Nina said is a refreshing change from her usual loyalty to plain colors. “They’re all beautiful, dangerous in a way, and proudly feminine,” Nina said. To end the show, Nina used a piece that perfectly exemplifies her aesthetic — a gracefully long, black and polka dot-printed chiffon dress. Some of The White Oleander products are being sold exclusively at The Goods Dept. A part of the collection — aimed at a different market in terms of style and price range — is available at the Centro department store.

In addition to Femme, Nina also designs for men under her Homme label.  Nina’s main line of pret-a-porter designs is called Mixte. She also designs for young adults under her NN:02 label, which emphasizes the use of environmentally friendly fabrics.