At 75, Indonesian Fashion Icon Poppy Dharsono Shares Her Vision for the Industry

Indonesian fashion luminary Poppy Dharsono marked her 75th birthday on July 8, 2026, with a heartfelt reflection on her lifelong dedication to the nation's fashion industry. Despite reaching a milestone age, Dharsono remains actively engaged, leading various organizations and championing the development of Indonesia's fashion and creative economy.

Since returning from France nearly five decades ago, Dharsono's primary ambition has been to cultivate a robust and sustainable fashion industry in Indonesia. She has pursued this vision through multiple avenues, including founding professional bodies, establishing fashion educational institutions, and creating the Indonesia Fashion Week, now a prominent platform in the country. "My ambition since returning from France was to help build the Indonesian fashion industry. That's why I built organizations, schools, and Indonesia Fashion Week so that the Indonesian fashion industry has its own resources, identity, and strength," she stated in a press release on July 11, 2026.

Dharsono has played a pivotal role in establishing and nurturing key institutions, such as the Association of Indonesian Fashion Designers and Entrepreneurs (APPMI), which is over three decades old, and LaSalle College Indonesia, a leading fashion and design education center. Through Indonesia Fashion Week, she actively promotes heritage-based fashion, emphasizing the potential of Indonesia's rich cultural heritage to define its identity and counter the dominance of fast fashion globally.

Beyond her direct involvement in fashion design and promotion, Dharsono has extensive experience in business and organizational leadership. Her two decades with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) provided her with valuable insights into business, networking, and the empowerment of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This experience has informed her work in developing SME and artisan programs across various regions, notably in Garut Regency, now recognized as a national center for the leather industry.

Reflecting on her enduring productivity and passion, Dharsono believes that sustained vitality stems not only from physical health but also from mental and spiritual well-being. "I never think about age. What I think about is..." she began, indicating a focus on purpose and inner drive rather than chronological milestones.

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My ambition since returning from France was to help build the Indonesian fashion industry. That's why I built organizations, schools, and Indonesia Fashion Week so that the Indonesian fashion industry has its own resources, identity, and strength.