Brief
profile of 347/EAT
In 1996, a group of young people
from the dynamic Indonesian city of Bandung, came together.
They shared a love of surfing, skateboarding and graphic
art, all still relatively undeveloped in average Indonesian
society at that time. The result of their common interests,
and union, was the clothing label, ‘347 boardrider
co.’
The theme of the first items
produced by 347 was definitely boardriding and streetwear.
They were instantly popular from the south coasts of West
Java through to the most industrialized cities of Indonesia,
such as Bandung and Jakarta, even though sales were mainly
through word of mouth and simple catalogs. Due to their
vast success and increasing custom demands, they opened
their first store in 1999 and hence became the pioneers
of independent clothing labels in Indonesia. ‘347
shophouse’ in the center of Bandung has been a city
institution ever since.
347 continues to hook up with
the modern day trendsetters of Indonesian youth, from musicians,
surfers, skaters, artists and even DJs. These people frequently
wear the 347 label, and from that they command the international
exposure that they enjoy today. But despite commercial success,
the underground scene in Indonesia continues to focus what
347 is, and will always be the driving design force.
However, if you examine our products,
you will also appreciate that functionality, fashion, culture,
music trends, innovative graphic design and global trends
are all evident in our clothes. We work hard to keep our
finger on the pulse, every day. We balance all of our influences
carefully, from skateboarding to surfing, hardcore to electro,
underground to mainstream. We try to explore boundaries
rather than marginalize our designs. We celebrate diversity
and freedom of expression.
From 347 become EAT. It was borne
after extensive explorations into graphics and design. We
feel that is represents one of our important yet diverse
design concepts… that fashion is not simply about
putting clothes on your back, but rather a broader experience
that represents who you are, what you do and where you stand,
in short, is a reflection of your soul.
Our background places us amongst
the most complex, progressive and creative people in our
artistic community, who definitely endorse our design and
fashion concept. We are recognized as an expression of the
attitudes of our time, of our new generation. We strive
to represent the culture and lifestyle that is a reflection
of the contemporary world of which Indonesia is now a part.
We celebrate plurality and enjoy the dynamic effects of
the new technological advantages available, that give us
access to the whole world, instantly.
Our range is similarly
varied and diverse. Each piece is a piece of the puzzle,
which reflects our total concept. As Andy Warhol extolled,
‘anything goes with anything’. We never marginalize
our concept by trying to adhere to just one product or image
to represent our direction. The key to our design direction
is that as long as it embraces the values that we stand
for, it’s EAT. Just do EAT!
CV
May 2004 “Undiscovered
Territory”, Galeri Oktagon, Jakarta
July 2004 “Modus & Media” with trans-eat,
Galeri Kita, Bandung
July 2004 “wearehere”, Potluck Coffee Bar and
Library, Bandung
Aug 2004 “Bali Fashion Week 2004”, Westin Resort,
Nusadua, Bali
Sep 2004 “Eltono Street Art Exhibition”, with
trans-eat, Eltono Gallery, Poland
Okt 2004 “Insomnia 48”, Art House, Singapore
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