The world needs more pink!

Jacqueline Loekito is the pink star in Basel’s fashion firmament. Her colourful designs challenge gender stereotypes, beauty ideals, and body norms. In her world, everyone is free to wear whatever they want. Jacqueline loves Basel’s manageable size and working at her sewing machine. At the time of the interview, she has been pregnant with her second child for a few weeks and is at a stage where she doesn’t yet feel anywhere near as stunning as she appears to us. In conversation, she comes across as thoughtful and fragile. At the same time, she can laugh wonderfully loudly, answering with wit and a great deal of heart. A conversation about uniforms, love, and the primal power of mothers.

You grew up in the largest city in South-East Asia. What scent comes to mind when you think of your childhood?
What a question. Especially now that I’m pregnant, scents take on a whole new dimension. As a child, I lived with my parents and my two siblings in the south of Jakarta. A brown river flowed behind our house, and air pollution wasn’t an issue back then. In the mornings, I was woken by a cock’s crow. When I think back on it, it almost feels like a holiday. It smells of earth. Of warmth. And somehow, of new beginnings too.

The beginning of your ­fashion career?
Fashion was actually my childhood dream. I got my first sewing machine at eight and sewed all my Barbie dresses myself. My father was also involved in the fashion industry; he modelled and had friends in the design scene and in the LGBTQ community. It actually existed back then, even though Indonesia is, of course, a Muslim country and the subject is officially taboo.

Does the pink in your work stem from your childhood?
No, the pink only came about in Basel. In Jakarta, I first learnt that as a woman, you’re not allowed to wear whatever you fancy. Then I came to the fashion paradise of London, where I could suddenly dress however I wanted. During my bachelor’s degree, I explored gender-neutral clothing. Back then, there was hardly any unisex fashion, and surprisingly, even in open-minded London, my idea wasn’t met with nothing but enthusiasm. Finally, in Basel, as part of my Master’s degree, I began researching the topic of pink and discovered that pink was often worn by men in the 17th and 18th centuries. Therefore, pink became the central theme of my work.

You were already quite successful in London…
Yes, after completing my bachelor’s degree, I was approached to take part in a reality TV show. The show was called ‘Styled to Rock UK’ and we had to design outfits for stars like Kanye West, Katy Perry and Rihanna. It was good practice. I still benefit from that experience today when working with artists and theatre professionals and when designing costumes. I made it all the way to the final. And although I didn’t win the show in the end, it did land me plenty of styling jobs.

And what brought you to Basel?
In 2013, I accompanied a friend here. It was winter, it was snowing, and I’d never heard of this city before. We went to a party at the Nordstern. That’s where I met Yves, my husband today. We talked all night and swapped numbers. The next day, he took me on the ferry and for tea at the Hirschi. I thought that was very romantic! After two years of a long-distance relationship, we decided on a future together in Basel. Partly because of the political situation. Brexit had put me off England.

But Basel must have been a bit of a shock at first?!
Yes, on my first visit, I thought Basel was the setting for Hansel and Gretel. But once I started coming here more often, I fell in love with the city. I got to know new areas and people and realised the advantages of short distances. In Jakarta, it took me two hours just to get to primary school. Here, I could suddenly walk to a night’s outing – a dream!

How important is fashion to you?
To me, it’s everything – a healing process, a form of communication, history, community. And yet I keep asking myself the same question: Why am I designing yet another piece in a world that’s bleeding in so many places? I think a lot about the groundwork. About where all this is heading. What fashion can actually achieve – and perhaps must achieve. These topics are constantly on my mind, including my work as a lecturer at the FHNW where I discuss precisely these issues with my students.

Which part of your work do you ­particularly enjoy?
I enjoy developing new ideas – it’s always about finding myself in the process. I also really enjoy sourcing materials and doing research. I absolutely love sewing; it’s part of my therapy. But working with the students inspires me too, and of course the fashion shows are brilliant. I undertake a new project every year. This year I’m writing a book. It’s about uniforms, among other things. I love uniforms! I grew up wearing school uniforms. They make one’s affiliation with social classes and religions invisible. The question now, of course, is: What does Jacqueline Loekito’s uniform look like?

Pink?
Of course! And naturally, it won’t be a classic uniform. At the moment, I’m doing a lot of research and experimenting with clothes from the charity shop. I like to get started early – it’s March. Our second child is due in September. I’d like to have something ready by early next year at the latest.

Basel isn’t exactly a fashion capital…
Funnily enough, for me it is – or let’s say: half and half. Of course, I move in fashion circles. But even outside those circles, I keep spotting people here who really stand out in terms of style. And of course, the teenagers and everyone else – they all wear a uniform. People don’t want to stand out; they like looking the same. It gives them a sense of security. Yet just this morning I received a compliment on my pink coat. My crazy fashion is a topic for conversation! I imagine that if pink coats were now available everywhere, they would become completely normal, and a new uniform would emerge...

That’s likely to take a while, though.
Absolutely. But Basel strikes me as incredibly open-minded, like a miniature London. That’s why I’m not giving up hope: People should wear whatever they want and stop worrying about what others think of their look. More colour would be lovely – life’s too short for fashion restraint!

How has motherhood changed you or your perspective on the world?
Motherhood is a primal force. Even before I became a mum myself, my queer community sometimes called me ‘mother’ and I wore that title with pride. With the birth of my daughter, however, the door to a parallel world opened. I am more worried now. But I feel strong too. I’ve brought a life into the world, so I can do anything! At least when I’m not pregnant again. I’d completely forgotten what that feels like…

What makes you angry when you look at the world?
So many things! We’re living in an age of villains. A matriarchal system would bring about positive change. But the idiots always seem to win at the moment. So as not to waste too much energy on the negative, I focus on my little bubble and try to make a good difference on a small scale.

What would you like to be really good at?
I’d like to be a really good mother. And actually, I’d like to be better at everything anyway. I’d like to be a better cook, a better teacher, a better wife, and a better friend – there’s still so much to do!