Kaum
Uniform Design for Kaum Hong Kong, Bali & Jakarta
Kaum, meaning “clan” or “tribe” in Indonesian, is an authentic Indonesian Restaurant from the Potato Head Family. In creating the project, the team behind Kaum embarked on an exotic culinary expedition, travelling to learn about cooking methods, exotic ingredients, and authentic flavors of Indonesia’s tribal communities.
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The uniforms also pays homage to the traditional crafts and rich cultural heritage of the Indonesian archipelago. The design took inspiration from these deep traditions, exploring various ethnic textiles and costume silhouettes combined from various tribes, interpreted into more contemporary looks.
The first Kaum was established in Hong Kong, so the idea of the traditional sarong, which is quite prominent in Indonesian costumes, fused with costumes of Hong Kong’s 19th century street barbershop, plays a big part in creating the uniform’s silhouettes.
The designs are a series of sleek black raglan tops and culottes with ikat and songket trimmings, sourced from the traditional Klungkung market in Bali. The culottes for the hostess were made of traditional Balinese fabric, which are overdyed with dark natural indigo. All of these were paired with handmade wooden necklaces and our take on the Selop, a traditional Indonesian footwear, handmade in black leather.
All the garments and accessories were handmade in Bali, and were developed together with the Potato Head Family creative team in 2015-2016 for Hong Kong, and Bali and 2017 for Jakarta.
Credits:
Images of staff in uniform are photographed by Daniel Mitchell for Kaum
Images of interior are photographed and owned by Kaum
Citations:
Kaum. (2021). About Kaum. https://www.kaum.com/