Fashion is often celebrated for what appears on the runway, but some of its most meaningful stories begin long before the first look is unveiled. They are shaped through conversations, shared experiences and a willingness to learn from one another. That spirit lies at the heart of PINTU Residency, a new initiative that invites emerging designers from Indonesia and France to live, work and create together, transforming cultural exchange into contemporary fashion.
Introduced as part of PINTU Focus Week 2026 and the France–Indonesia Year of Innovation 2026, the residency marks a significant new chapter for PINTU, the collaborative initiative founded by JF3 Fashion Festival, LAKON Indonesia and the Embassy of France in Indonesia through the Institut français d’Indonésie (IFI). While PINTU has spent the past five years nurturing young designers through mentoring and international exchanges, the residency takes that philosophy one step further by placing designers within the communities whose traditions continue to inspire Indonesian fashion.
Rather than simply collaborating online or meeting briefly during fashion week, participants spend four months immersed in local culture, working alongside artisans, learning traditional textile techniques and experiencing daily life together. The result is not merely a collection of garments, but a dialogue between two creative worlds.
Where Creativity Meets Community
Curated by Thresia Mareta, Co-Initiator of PINTU Incubator and Founder of LAKON Indonesia, together with Pascaline Wilhelm and Carol Meyer, PINTU Residency was conceived as a space where collaboration extends beyond design. It encourages participants to exchange perspectives, question assumptions and discover how craftsmanship can become a common language despite different cultural backgrounds.
For the designers, the experience is as much about listening as it is about creating. Time spent with artisan communities allows them to understand the stories behind Indonesia’s textile traditions—from the rhythm of hand-weaving to the symbolism embedded within every motif. These encounters ultimately shape collections that feel authentic rather than interpretative.
Two Journeys, Two Stories
One residency brought French designer Mickaël Nana together with Indonesian designer Beatrice Angelica in Lombok. Working closely with local weaving communities, the pair developed GARUDA, a collection that combines contemporary Western tailoring with Lombok’s handwoven textiles and songket traditions.
Rather than treating heritage textiles as decorative elements, the designers placed them at the centre of the creative process. Inspired by the mythical Garuda as a symbol of strength, freedom and identity, the collection reflects a thoughtful balance between modern silhouettes and centuries-old craftsmanship.
Elsewhere, in Mojokerto, French designer Lisa Rayar collaborated with Indonesian designer Gabriel Marcella to create AU LARGE. Drawing inspiration from French maritime heritage and the coastal culture of Java, the collection blends naval-inspired tailoring with batik, creating garments that feel simultaneously familiar and unexpected.
Although each collaboration followed a different creative path, both demonstrate how genuine cultural immersion can produce fashion that transcends geographical boundaries without losing sight of its origins.
Beyond Design
What makes PINTU Residency particularly compelling is that its success cannot be measured solely by the finished collections. Equally important are the relationships built throughout the process—between designers, artisan communities, mentors and cultural institutions.
The programme reflects a growing recognition that fashion is not only an industry but also a cultural practice. Traditional techniques are preserved not by displaying them in museums, but by allowing them to evolve through meaningful collaboration with contemporary designers.
This philosophy also aligns with the broader cultural partnership between Indonesia and France, where fashion and craftsmanship have become important pillars of creative diplomacy. Through initiatives such as PINTU Residency, cultural exchange moves beyond formal agreements and becomes something tangible, expressed through shared skills, mutual respect and collaborative creativity.
A Debut on the Runway
Both GARUDA and AU LARGE will make their runway debut at JF3 Fashion Festival 2026, offering audiences the first opportunity to see how months of cultural immersion have been translated into contemporary fashion.
Yet the runway represents only the final chapter of a much longer story. Behind every silhouette are conversations with artisans, hours spent in workshops, shared meals, cultural discoveries and the willingness of designers from different backgrounds to learn from one another.
In a fashion industry increasingly defined by global connections, PINTU Residency offers a refreshing reminder that meaningful innovation begins not with trends, but with people. By opening the door to genuine collaboration between Indonesia and France, the programme demonstrates that the future of fashion is built as much on cultural understanding as it is on creativity, proving that the strongest designs often emerge when different worlds come together.
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