A kebaya does not have to wait for a wedding invitation. An ulos does not have to stay folded away until a cultural ceremony.

That was the point Komunitas Kebaya Menari brought to Indonesia Fashion Week 2026, where traditional clothing was treated less like something to preserve behind glass and more like something that can move, change, and live alongside modern fashion.

Komunitas Kebaya Menari took part in Indonesia Fashion Week 2026 in Jakarta, held from July 29 to August 2, 2026 at the Jakarta International Convention Center in Senayan. Under IFW 2026’s “Ulos Simetria” theme, the community promoted kebaya and North Sumatran ulos as clothing that can be adapted for everyday life as well as formal occasions. 

At Glance :

• IFW 2026 date August 1 2026
• Venue Jakarta International Convention Center, Senayan
• Main theme Ulos Simetria

What did Kebaya Menari bring to IFW 2026?

The community's programme mixed conversation with movement.

It opened with a dance using the song “Perempuan Berkebaya,” with performers wearing ulos, before moving into a short Kebaya Wicara talk titled bringing ulos and kebaya into everyday clothing. Sarah Jane joined as an ulos practitioner and preservation advocate, alongside Yanti Moeljono, Chair of Komunitas Kebaya Menari.

The result was less about telling people that heritage matters, and more about showing what cultural preservation can look like when it enters real wardrobes.

The colourful layers of ulos moved with the dancers instead of sitting still as display pieces. By the end of the session, the rhythm shifted again with a lively manotor, a traditional dance from North Sumatra.

Why are Kebaya and Ulos at IFW 2026 important?
“Ulos Simetria” was not a side programme at IFW 2026. Ulos from North Sumatra was the main cultural inspiration for the entire event, selected by the Indonesian Fashion Designers and Entrepreneurs Association, or APPMI. ters because Indonesian fashion is also serious business.

According to Indonesia's Ministry of Creative Economy, fashion contributed 14.77 percent of the creative economy's GDP in 2025. Even more striking, fashion represented 58.55 percent of Indonesia's creative economy exports between January and April 2026. words, turning traditional textiles into relevant contemporary products is not only a cultural conversation. It can also be an economic one.

Can kebaya and ulos really become everyday fashion?
Sarah Jane thinks cultural preservation has to involve change.

“As the younger generation, we have a responsibility to protect cultural heritage by combining it with innovation, technology, and creativity so it can become part of our everyday lives.”

Her message during the session was clear: keeping a tradition alive does not mean keeping it exactly as it was.

Yanti Moeljono made a similar point from the community perspective. She argued that kebaya and ulos should be introduced in ways that feel current enough for daily activities, while remaining suitable for formal occasions. The larger goal is to make both more familiar in Indonesia and abroad.

That is the slightly counterintuitive part of cultural preservation. Sometimes the safest future for traditional clothing is not protecting it from change. It is giving people more reasons to wear it.

What does Ulos Simetria say about Indonesian fashion?
Indonesia Fashion Week 2026 used North Sumatra as its main source of cultural inspiration, placing ulos within runway shows, creative industry discussions, exhibitions, and other fashion programming. nitas Kebaya Menari, the idea became more personal.

Their session suggested that the next chapter of Indonesian heritage may happen far away from museums or ceremonial stages. It could happen at dinner, at work, during community events, or anywhere someone decides that a kebaya or piece of ulos fits the day.

Modern fashion and heritage do not have to compete.

Sometimes, they just need to share the same wardrobe.