YOSAFAT DWI KURNIAWAN — “TIME DILATION”

Images courtesy of Y D Kurniawan

Celebrating 15 Years of Craft Through A Modern Reimagining of Couture Heritage

“Time Dilation” marks a defining moment for Yosafat Dwi Kurniawan: his Spring/Summer 2026 presentation unveiled alongside his 15th anniversary as a designer. For Yosafat, time is an instrument — something that bends, lingers, and shapes the evolution of his craft.

Patricia Gouw

“Fifteen years feel like I just started last year, yet the journey has been long. Everything has changed — the industry, my peers, and myself,” he reflects.

A designer, academic, and passionate observer of fashion history, Yosafat poses a compelling question: What if the great couturiers were still designing today? In “Time Dilation,” that imagined dialogue takes form. Balenciaga’s sculptural precision, Chanel’s fearless materiality, Versace’s sensuality, and Dior’s timeless elegance surface as subtle references — not imitations, but foundations he reinterprets through modern techniques and advanced materials.

Presented by Coulisse | INK

Across 21 looks, he fuses classic couture codes with contemporary innovation. Dramatic gowns, pencil and mermaid skirts, sculpted bustiers, peplums, and voluminous ball silhouettes appear in a palette of black, grey, silver, and iridescent highlights. Tweed, jacquard, organza, taffeta, velvet, and satin meet chainmail, latex, acetate, and exotic skins. Crystal work, fringe, and reflective beading add movement and a sense of time expanding across each look. Select appearances of fascinators by Hummingbird Road lift the couture mood even further.

“I don’t see this as haute couture or ready-to-wear. Some pieces are made to order, but the collection stands outside those labels,”  he adds. The result is a series of silhouettes shifting between calm precision and sharp acceleration — creating the sensation of time stretching, compressing, and evolving look by look.

With his recent collection, Yosafat elevates the reference history. His references become the springboard toward a contemporary vision, marking Yosafat’s 15-year journey of craft and imagination .

“Time Dilation” is both tribute and declaration — a portrait of 15 years of growth, renewal, and continuous learning. As he looks ahead, Yosafat enters a new journey: “I’m proud that after 15 years, I’m still learning, still growing, still improving.”