Born into a family that lived and breathed fashion, Susanna Perini was destined to become a style icon. She talks to DAMAN about personal style, influence, and what it means to be a style maker
Beginning as a fashion photographer while assisting in her mother’s prêt-à-porter atelier, Susanna Perini discovered a different calling during a journey to Bali in the 1980s and fell in love with the island. There, she founded BIASA, a contemporary resortwear label deeply rooted in Indonesian heritage. Over the decades, Perini has not only cemented her status as a celebrated designer but also as an enduring style icon, known for a personal aesthetic that is effortless, authentic and entirely her own. In the middle of a packed schedule, DAMAN sat down with her for a rare, unhurried conversation. She reflected on finding a home in Bali, the power of cloth as a form of freedom and how living between East and West has shaped her understanding of beauty.
DAMAN: How do you define the line between your personal style and your professional style?
Susanna Perini: I don’t see a clear line between my personal and professional style. They’re naturally connected, and the way I present myself at work is still a reflection of who I am. In professional settings, I’m just more conscious of my surroundings and the people I’m with. For me, style lives in the vision: how you adapt to the environment, carry yourself, and show thoughtfulness. Those small choices let me stay true to my personal style while still being appropriate at work.
DA: What would you consider your everyday signature style?
SP: My current style signatures are my glasses, which have become really recognizable and comfortable for me over the past few years, pieces from the brand that I genuinely enjoy wearing and a love for monochrome looks. I’m drawn to creating one complete impression from head to toe in a single color or tonal palette because it feels simple and consistent. I also think we all end up attached to certain items over time, a watch or an accessory, that become part of how we express ourselves. For me right now, those three elements together define my look.
DA: How has your taste evolved from the beginning of your career to where you are today?
SP: My taste has evolved a lot, especially from living so long in Asia. Indonesia is where my heart is, and it completely changed how I think about cloth. In the West, we see fabric as something structured around the body, but in Asia it’s about freedom: draping, layering, and practical comfort. That’s shaped me deeply.
Now beauty isn’t just aesthetic for me, it’s also comfort and function. I want to be able to move, sit cross-legged and feel at ease. So my style has shifted from just “what looks beautiful” to what’s comfortable, culturally informed and connected to how we actually live.
DA: As BIASA’s creative director, how do you incorporate the brand into your own look?
SP: It’s become much easier lately. Over the past few years, the team and I have had the freedom to bring in things we genuinely like and believe in, and because we share a similar sensibility, there’s a natural understanding of what the collection should be. When a collection is filled with things we truly love, not just what we feel we have to include, it’s much easier to take something personal and make it resonate with other people.
For me, it comes down to authenticity: when you’re free to express what you like, that personal style can naturally speak to a wider audience.
DA: What’s one styling tip you would share with us? And which BIASA piece do you think is a must-have?
SP: The most important thing is experiencing the versatility of the pieces. If I had to recommend one category from BIASA, it would be our multifunctional items, especially the sarongs, because you can style them in so many ways and they’ve become timeless.
But our real signature is the very thin muslin fabric. It’s been part of the brand from the very beginning, and it’s incredibly light, breathable and comfortable—perfect for a tropical climate.
DA: Speaking of style icons, is there a figure you’ve always looked up to?
SP: Lately, I’ve been inspired by Talitha Getty. She wasn’t in fashion, but she was a major 1960s style icon and an inspiration for Yves Saint Laurent. Born Dutch in the Dutch East Indies, educated in London and later living in Marrakesh, she mixed classic English pieces with Berber jewelry and other Moroccan influences.
There was no set style, just an instinctive blend of cultures that felt so modern. I think she was one of the first to embrace that freedom of mixing everything, and that’s what I love about her.
DA: Is there a particular piece in your personal collection that holds special meaning for you?
SP: It’s impossible to choose just one. One is a heavily hand-embroidered Mexican camisole my mom brought from a trip to Mexico when I was about 14. I still have it and wear it today, and it means so much because of both the craftsmanship and the memory.
The other is Lou Zeldis’s hand-painted batik sarongs, made with natural dyes in Solo. For me, what makes a piece special is how it carries vision, craft, and memory, and it still has a place in your life now.
DA: What is the most memorable piece of style advice you’ve ever received, and how does it apply to your life today?
SP: Personal style comes from mixing all the influences and experiences we take in. If I had to pick two, they’d be “less is more” and “you can never be overdressed.” Opposites, and yet both valid.
Simplicity and restraint are powerful, but with elegance and confidence, you can also go extravagant, and there’s nothing wrong with that. For me, both can coexist. The most important thing is to never be afraid of being yourself: sometimes that means “keeping it simple”; other times it means going all the way, and both are beautiful when they’re authentically you.
BIASA’s Believe collection at Jakarta Fashion Week 2026
Opposite page Susanna Perini