Citayam Fashion Week in Jakarta showcases the class divide in the city

Dukuh Atas Park in the Sudirman business district in Jakarta has recently been a site of a phenomenon known as Citayam Fashion Week for the past few days. Magnificently dressed youngsters in street style have been using zebra crossings for their catwalk. It all started in June when interviews with several teens went viral on TikTok. This attracted mainstream media and politicians, garnering them a lot of support and earning them the title of “The next Harajuku”. Sudirman is a district where people of all classes meet. Asian Games 2018 instigated the government to beautify this area. The assembly of young people here represents their hunger for open places with the poor urban planning of the neighbouring areas. Instead of coming to the business capital just for earning purposes, teens are showing a different desire to claim public spaces and make their voices heard. The event has been known to promote the young adults’ creativity in using unbranded clothes and local make-up brands. Many people called it “tacky”, showcasing the class and income divides of Jakarta. As the event is gathering popularity, numerous celebrities have tried to take part and several brands have tried endorsing themselves. The government has considered relocating and limiting it to weekends due to issues regarding traffic.

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