For the second year in a row, Long Story Short returned to LOKALMADE, an annual event by Byte Project that champions Indonesian local brands and fosters an inclusive creative community. But this year marked more than just another booth showcasing handcrafted bags. In 2025, Long Story Short proudly took home the LOKALMADEIcons Award under the category “Crafted Heritage”, recognizing the brand as one of the standout names shaping Indonesia’s fashion landscape.
The celebration didn’t stop at the award itself. On Sunday, August 3rd, 2025, Long Story Short’s Co-Founder, Gabriela Gunawan, took the LOKALMADE main stage for a special talk show titled “The Beauty of Local: When Leather Meets Rattan”, sharing the brand’s journey, creative philosophy, and the newly launched of the Nona Bag.
Opening the session, Gabriela reflected on Long Story Short’s vision and purpose.
Long Story Short is a bag brand from Indonesia that combines natural rattan craftsmanship and genuine leather into premium bags that tell a story. We stand by one belief that every local craftsmanship has a story worth appreciating and being proud of. We want local rattan bags to go global and become a trend. Our vision is to make Indonesian craftsmanship known globally, without losing its cultural roots.
For Long Story Short, the use of natural rattan and genuine leather is more than just a design choice. Rattan is one of Indonesia’s signature resources, deeply embedded in the country’s cultural history. By pairing it with fine leather, the brand elevates traditional weaving into a new level of modern luxury.
Gabriela also spoke about the inspirations behind the collections, from the Lurik Jawa line that celebrates handwoven stripes from Central Java, to the Puspawresti collection inspired by a graceful Balinese dance, to the Bhineka Tunggal Ika-inspired Fika Bag symbolizing unity in diversity. Where the ideas didn’t just appear overnight, but they are the result of a long, thoughtful process and years of experimenting, to create designs that suit modern lifestyles while still honoring heritage.
Long Story Short’s creations are possible thanks to close collaboration with local skilled artisans. These craftsmen carry ancestral weaving knowledge, which is essential for working with natural rattan. By choosing to work with these artisans, the brand isn’t just producing beautiful bags, it’s also contributing to the local economy and supporting the sustainability of Indonesia’s craft heritage. This hands-on relationship ensures that every product carries both the touch of tradition and the refinement of contemporary design.
The LOKALMADE stage also became the perfect moment to officially spotlight Long Story Short’s newest design, the Nona Bag. Versatile and compact, the Nona Bag is designed to carry daily essentials for work, campus, or leisure. It comes in premium leather with vibrant colors in tan, red, bright yellow, and vivid green, catering to different personalities and styles. What makes the Nona Bag even more special is its collaboration with Kaind.id, where selected designs incorporate upcycled fabric from textile waste. This partnership further reinforces the brand’s commitment to sustainability without compromising on aesthetics.
Gabriela closed her talk show by accepting the award’s plaque and sharing a heartfelt message with the audience.
We hope that more local brands dare to showcase and tell their stories. Because the strength of Indonesian fashion is not just in the design, but also in the stories, heritage, and the skilled hands behind it. And may Indonesian consumers become prouder to wear local products, not because of their price, but because of their value.
Receiving the LOKALMADEIcons Award 2025 was a significant milestone for Long Story Short. This recognition is not just an endpoint, it’s fuel for the journey ahead that reaffirms the brand’s dedication to creating bags that don’t just accessorize an outfit, but also carry a deeper meaning. With each handcrafted piece is a celebration of Indonesia’s cultural heritage, artisan skills, and sustainable future, Long Story Short continues to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity, ensuring that Indonesian craftsmanship earns the global spotlight it deserves.
