TOTON CLOSES MULIA IN FASHION WITH KALA, A MEDITATION ON CHANGE, IDENTITY AND RENEWAL

Images courtesy of TOTON

Toton’s Latest Chapter In Contemporary Indonesian Fashion

Time is never still. It dismantles certainty, reshapes identity, and quietly becomes the catalyst for transformation, adaptation, and renewal. Derived from the Sanskrit word for time and evoking the mythical Batara Kala—the guardian of destruction and renewal—KALA becomes Toton Januar’s reflection on change as an inevitable force that demands adaptation. In an era marked by political, social, economic, and environmental uncertainty, the collection proposes resilience not as survival, but as the willingness to evolve.

Presented as the closing show of Mulia in Fashion 2026 by Hotel Mulia Senayan, KALA unfolded across 48 looks, distilling this philosophy into a sophisticated contemporary wardrobe that balanced Indonesian cultural memory with modern tailoring.

Traditional dress codes—including the kebaya, Baju Bodo, Balinese ceremonial attire, and the practice of berkain—were reinterpreted alongside safari jackets, military-inspired outerwear, and sharply tailored silhouettes. In this collection Toton allowed the two worlds to coexist, creating a dialogue between softness and structure, transparency and protection, tradition and modernity. Together, they reflect how culture and identity continue to evolve through the passage of time without losing their essence.

Presented by Interni Cipta Selaras

The collection’s restrained palette of ivory, cream, soft pink, earth tones, grey, black, and gold was punctuated by vivid accents of butterfly pea flower blue—a botanical familiar across Indonesia, chosen to symbolise resilience, regeneration, and unapologetic femininity. Rather than relying on colour, Toton allowed texture, silhouette, and construction to take centre stage, reinforcing the collection’s quiet yet confident visual language.

Lightweight cotton, organza, lace, tulle, satin, and denim were enriched through intricate textile manipulation and hand craftsmanship, signatures of the house’s design language. Reinforcing its commitment to responsible design, TOTON reimagined leftover fabrics from past collections through upcycling, transforming archival remnants into renewed expressions of craftsmanship. Complemented by Lyocell and Rayon developed in collaboration with Asia Pacific Rayon (APR) as Featured Fabric Partner, the collection demonstrates that material innovation can be as integral to storytelling as silhouette itself.

A monumental Batara Kala-inspired installation anchored the runway, reinforcing the collection’s conceptual foundation without descending into literalism.

With KALA, Toton refines the visual language he has cultivated over more than a decade—one rooted in intellectual storytelling, responsible craftsmanship, and understated sophistication. As the finale of Mulia in Fashion 2026, KALA offered a thoughtful reminder that identity is never static. Instead, it grows alongside changing times, encouraging us to embrace transformation without losing our roots, remain open without sacrificing empathy, and recognise Indonesia not as a nostalgic memory, but as a living culture that continues to evolve through every generation.