Suva: Floral was the new black during the Fiji Fashion Week event held at the Borron House, Suva in the weekend.
Apart the common black and white on the catwalk, Fiji Fashion Week was summery.
Established designer, Gaetane Austin opened the Established Designer show with her Gaetine of Fiji collection, bringing back the 1976 Harrods summer collection with a slight twist from terry toweling to pure cotton/ cotton mull to suit Fiji’s hot weather and growing tourism industry.
Her collection was inspired by Fiji’s tropical environment with colour combination from the sea, sky and flora.
On her Fiji Pacific predominant theme, Ms Austein said “In fashion, anyone can do it-even the Pacific.”
Ellen Whippy-Knight introduced a fashion statement from Europe with her “Essence of the ‘50’s collection”.
The 1950’s was the decade French designer Christian Dior made headlines in the fashion industry with his soldier’s collection featuring narrow waistlines with wide skirts which made women look feminine.
“This is the effect I’m trying to create with my designs,” Ms Knight said.
“The 50’s is definitely back and people in Australia and New Zealand are holding 50’s themed party.
“This collection is my way of setting a trend that is coming back to the fashion industry in Europe.”
Melbourne Fiji Day Fashion Show, overall runner up and winner of emerging designer category last year, Lorna Yakopo featured a Bohemian Bliss collection which included long flowery cotton dresses.
The collection she said was inspired by socialite Nicole Richie, daughter of well known singer, Lionel Richie.
“It is inspired by the clothes she has been wearing and I want to introduce it to the local market,” she said.
“The line is something any woman of any size would wear and is comfortable, which is what most women want in the clothes they buy.”
Lace also proved to be the winner at the Fiji Fashion Week Emerging Designing Show on Saturday, with student designer, Natasha Kumar taking to the catwalk a combination of black lace on colourful satin materials.
Natasha scooped the Student Designer of the Year Award at the end of the show with her Mona Lisa line which she described as “extravagant, flamboyant, eye catching and loud.
“At the same time it is versatile enough to be worn out at a night out with the girls or even a barbeque next door,” the young designer said.
Fiji Fashion Week is an annual event attended by close to 3,000 people throughout the week.
Fiji Fashion Week Limited is now looking forward to hosting the Pacific Island Fashion Show from October 17- 22 next year where designers from all over the Pacific including Australia and Nez Zealand are expected to feature.
Fiji Fashion Week managing director, Ellen Whippy – Knight said consecutive success of the Fiji Fashion Week has promoted the company to organize something bigger for the industry.
“This will provide an avenue where designers from all over the Pacific can come and showcase their designs,” she said.
“Fiji Fashion Week has given the impression that there are talents out there and we need to nurture them.
“A Pacific fashion show will also provide huge impacts for the designers.”
