Dyandrastra Mairavida

Copa de Flores, Sets Off From Designs to Create A Better Life

Design isn’t always about beauty, but rather to create a better life – a philosophy design Dyandrastra Mairavida, UPH’s Architecture Alumni Cohort 2013 gains through her learning at UPH. Dyandrastra is a professional architect as well as the co-founder and creative director to Copa de Flores fashion, a social enterprise in the fashion industry. Although still rather new, Dyandra is interested to invest and learn the business. Alongside of 7 partners who have the same interest of the culture, they walk the venture together in hopes of introducing Indonesia’s cultural heritage to the society, starting from their community.

Copa de Flores is a purposeful textile catalyst with a mission to integrate fashionable-humanist value to their customers by cultivating Flores’ traditional hand-woven products in order to empower Flores ladies’ weaver Inspired by a mother’s love for her children, Dyandra and her partners name their creation as “faithful companion”, in hope that their products can be accountable friends for everyone. “We dedicate each and every Copa de Flores creations to honor equality, to protect existence of Indonesian cultural and literary heritage, and to fulfill a responsible fashion movement for a better life by which can be achieved if we create a good economy circulation. With that said, each published collection is has an aligned storyline to our theme with hope to increase awareness in regards to different historical events that has valuable lessons to take in. And as for the weave, each has a specific message from mothers who weave, sending their hearts out in each motive. The points above, we mix with each collection’s theme so that the message is effectively given,” Dyandra explained.

Originality and quality of the fabric used becomes Copa de Flores’ unique selling point. These fabrics are directly woven by female villagers in Flores using weaving looms, natural ingredients, processed into a timeless with a twist and versatile design. Each post-production material are used for derivative products so nothing is wasted as well as minimizing the negative impacts they would have on the environment. Through Copa de Flores Dyandra and her partners collaborate with various parties to fulfill economic needs and more importantly gender equality in Flores by raising these women’s potential. Working with non-governmental organization to collaborate with village artisans, indigenous women’s community, women with post-psychological syndrome due to of human rights violations and sexual harassment, and community of people with disability is an example of the communities Copa de Flores worked with. Together, they create weaving activities together as a visual-meditation medium to heal.

“For us, collaboration is the key to achieve our mutual purpose. We believe that the impact that comes from collaboration will be bigger, too,” says Dyandra. Although having an Architecture background, Dyandra feels like she got what she needed for this business, one of those being how design is used to create a better life. Through other courses at UPH did Dyandra learn to be more aware of her surroundings and practice social values.