Didit Hediprasetyo

Early life

Hediprasetyo was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, the only son of Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo, former commander of Kopassus and Kostrad of Indonesia, businessman and the candidate of Indonesian presidential election, 2014 from Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA and Titiek Soeharto, the daughter of Indonesia's second president, Soeharto and Siti Hartinah. From his father side, he is the grandson of Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, a prominent economist, Minister of Industry and Trade (1950-1951) and Minister of Finance of Indonesia (1952-1953 and 1955-1956). He is also the paternal nephew of the 39th richest person of Indonesia, Hashim Djojohadikusumo and the maternal nephew of a businessman and socialite Tommy Suharto.

Since childhood, Hediprasetyo always wanted to learn many things until he got a difficult to choose what he really wants. He wanted to be a painter, photographer, historian, theatre director and businessman. He then joined a Shakespeare theatre workshop at Harvard Extension School. This is the beginning of his interest in fashion. He then became interesting to learn about fashion and take the fashion design major. To enrich his knowledge, he also taking a painting, photography and art history course.

Career

Hediprasetyo graduated from the prestigious Parsons School of Design in Paris in 2007 and moved back to Indonesia where he worked for a while, before deciding to launch his eponymous label, Didiet Hediprasetyo, which is headquartered in Paris.

The designer presented his first Spring/Summer 2010 couture show in the salons of the Hotel Crillon in January 2010, offering corseted gowns and fitted skirts and shorts, and has since regularly presented collections during Couture week. “I’m trying to focus on younger clientele and offer them couture with a modern twist,” he said in 2012, “My ideal woman is someone who is very cultured, who understands the east and west cultures and who appreciates the aesthetic of the old days of couture, but who at the same time doesn’t take it too seriously. She lives in a realistic world. She might be wearing couture going for a coffee with a friend or going to the beach wearing a simple tank top and short.”

Hediprasetyo often gives a nod to his Indonesian origins by including Songket, a traditional hand woven Indonesian brocade, in his collections.

Personal life

Hediprasetyo was born in both of the most powerful families in Indonesia, economically and politically. He is part of the most influential of Indonesian business and economy, Djojohadikusumo family and on his mother side, he is part of Cendana family, Cendana is the name of the street which his grandfather, the second president of Indonesia, Soeharto and family lives.

Hediprasetyo is also known of having glamorous lifestyle among the Jakarta's high society, his circle of friends including Adinda Bakrie-Ong, the niece of businessman and politician, Aburizal Bakrie, the most popular Indonesian actress, Dian Sastrowardoyo, Aliya Rajasa, the daughter of politician and the Vice Presidential candidate of his father, Hatta Rajasa and the daughter in law of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Ronald Liem, the publisher of socialite and high society's magazine, Prestige.