JF3 Fashion Festival Announces Strategic Collaboration with South Korea’s Busan Textile & Fashion Industries Association
JF3 Fashion Festival has officially announced a strategic collaboration with the Busan Textile & Fashion Industries Association from South Korea. This partnership aims to advance the fashion industries of both countries while creating new opportunities for local Indonesian designers.
JF3 Chairman Soegianto Nagaria emphasized that this collaboration is more than just a professional partnership, it also serves as a platform for cultural exchange between Indonesia and South Korea.
"This collaboration is expected to strengthen the connections between designers, brands, and fashion institutions from both Indonesia and Busan, with a shared commitment to creating positive impact," Soegianto said during the JF3 event held in North Jakarta on Saturday (July 26).
He added that the spirit behind this partnership is to foster a more inclusive and innovative fashion industry.
"This is about combining our creative spirit and shaping the future of the fashion industry," he stated. The partnership also opens broader channels of communication between fashion professionals, enriching perspectives and inspiring designers from both countries.
"Recrafted": A Cultural Sustainability Theme
The 2025 JF3 Fashion Festival adopts the innovative theme “Recrafted: A New Vision”, aimed at encouraging industry players to explore and reinterpret Indonesia’s cultural heritage into designs that are modern, dynamic, and relevant.
Soegianto Nagaria highlighted that "Recrafted" reflects the growing need to approach culture through a more sustainable lens.
"After two decades of organizing this event, we believe it's time to take a step forward toward a more sustainable direction," he said.
A Golden Opportunity for Local Designers
A pivotal moment took place before the runway lights came on: the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Busan Fashion Week (South Korea) and JF3 Fashion Festival (Indonesia), marking a commitment to deepen collaboration between the two countries’ fashion industries.
Under the MoU, the two parties agreed that each year, three top designers from each country will receive exclusive opportunities to showcase their work on their partner nation’s fashion stage—establishing a sustainable cultural bridge in the Asian fashion scene.
One of the most significant outcomes of this collaboration is the opportunity for Indonesian designers to present their creations on the international stage in South Korea. While still in its early stages, the strategic potential of this partnership is considerable.
“There’s a strong possibility that we’ll bring local designers to Korea. But for the first visit, we’ll observe and learn from the situation there,” said Soegianto.
On the flip side, at this year’s JF3, three prominent South Korean designers—Junebok Rhee (RE RHEE), Choi Chung Hoon (DOUCAN), and Baek Ju Hee (REONVE)—have already been given the opportunity to showcase their collections in Indonesia.
“We’ve already invited three Korean designers to present their work at JF3 2025. They’ve brought fresh ideas that we can learn from,” Soegianto explained.
Notably, this collaboration has no set expiration date, reflecting a strong mutual commitment to building a long-term partnership.
“We’re not setting an end date—what matters is that once we begin and build good relations, it naturally becomes long-term,” said Soegianto.
Park Dong Seok, a representative from Busan Metropolitan City, also expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership. He revealed plans to invite Indonesian designers to participate in the upcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) on October 30.
“We’re also planning to involve Indonesian designers in the event,” he said.
Aligning Creativity with Environmental Sustainability
The strong support from Busan Metropolitan City, through Park Dong Seok, highlights the shared commitment to sustainability between JF3 and Busan Fashion Week. He emphasized the importance of fostering environmentally responsible innovation among young designers.
“Through this collaborative event, we want to encourage young designers to remain mindful of eco-friendly principles,” Park stated.
With this partnership, JF3 Fashion Festival further solidifies its role as a pioneering force in the fashion industry, one that not only celebrates creativity but also strengthens Indonesia’s position in the global fashion map through a sustainable approach.
JF3’s Broader Legacy Through Summarecon
Behind these international collaborations lies the long-term foundation built by Summarecon, the initiator of JF3. Since 2004, JF3 has acted as a platform to elevate the potential of Indonesia’s fashion industry, bridging tradition and modernity, while also opening pathways for young talents to connect with global audiences.
This year carries a special resonance as it coincides with Summarecon’s 50th anniversary. The milestone offers a reminder that JF3 is not only an annual festival, but part of a sustained effort to shape Indonesia’s creative landscape.
The 2025 edition reflects this spirit by introducing breakthrough programs, fostering global collaboration, and providing tangible support for local designers. One of the most notable examples of this vision in action is the festival’s expanding international partnerships, such as the recent collaboration with Busan’s fashion industry.
