The Fiji Fashion Week’s 10th anniversary of fashion in paradise has brought a number of emerging international designers to our shores.

Not forgetting our established designers who have joined the Fiji Fashion Week Team in organising the biggest show since its inception.

According to the Fiji Fashion Week team, this year’s response has been positive with international designers here for this year’s show.

In addition to their Pacific designers, they also have an established designer from Senegal and emerging designer from France.

About the designers

Part of the Fashion Week is the launch of the Pacific Island Resort Show today and it has attracted 13 designers from across the Pacific.

The show has attracted the likes of Hawaiian fashion inspiration Kini Zamora, star of the US fashion TV show Project Runway.

Joining Kini on the runway are designers from Cook Islands, Guam, Hawaii, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tahiti.

Fiona Matutu is an emerging designer from Cook Islands presenting her label Tauariki Wear. Her clothing line is a representation of herself and passion about putting vibrant colours together and making new designs with lace to modernise her creation.

Sandrine Cruz Stewart from Guam is an established designer and will be participating in today’s show – Pacific Island Resort Show.

She developed her style of clothing through life experiences and gathering an understanding of quality when she grew up in Europe, comfort in the Caribbean, modelled in US and culturally in Pacific.

Waithiko Creations, designer Mike Waithiko is from New Caledonia. He is an established designer and has been designing since 2014.

Sarah Todd from Papua New Guinea with her label PNGianKala will be joining the group with her unique PNG flag inspired collection.

Dane Fabricius and his label DMF is representing Samoa in the Pacific Island Resort Show with his very unique and interesting collection.

Solomon Islands is represented by Luke Gegeu’s label EL Designs and Frances Do’oro with label Proton Creations. EL Designs are all about Pacific prints with a difference whereas Proton Creations is known and loved classics.

Tonga is represented by Bou Fonua designing Bou’s.  A generation of tailors led to Bou beginning her design career as a child. She opened her boutique in Auckland, New Zealand.

Hani Haring will feature in both the Pacific Island Resorts Show on Thursday and Friday’s Gold Couture. Hani Haring’s collections are gorgeous, soft, and floaty feminine.

Adrienne Whitewood’s eponymous label has shown in New Zealand Fashion Show in 2011 and won the Supreme title at the Miromoda Fashion awards 2011.

In 2012, she won Cult Couture Supreme award at the Southside Arts Festival held at Manukau Telstra Events Centre. She will be representing New Zealand in the Pacific Island Resort Show with her collection.

We also have Ellena Tavioni from Tav Pacific, who is an established designer from Cook Islands and she will be in the trendsetter show. With roots in Fiji and Tonga but living in Australia is Louise Taualli, designer of Femata Couture.

Our second designer from New Zealand, Engleena Padyachi, with the label EngLEENA will be showcasing her collection on Trendsetter. Engleena inherited her tailoring skills from her maternal side – Her winter collection showed in Hong Kong Fashion Week 2016.  Also in the trendsetter show is Mohini Gounder of Australia, whose childhood passion only grew as she studied in Australia.

Emerging designer Crystal Soqeta, married to Fijian rugby union player Nemia Soqeta, has chosen Fiji Fashion Week as her platform to showcase her collection in the trendsetter show.

All the way from Africa, Birima Mbaye of Senegal returns for her second Fiji Fashion Week.

An emerging designer, her label RIMA Designs can be seen Saturday Couture Show.

The organisers said that they have achieved their mission of bringing a wide variety of international designers to Fiji to take part in their 10th Anniversary Fiji Fashion Week event.

The event ends on Saturday.

Edited by Caroline Ratucadra

Feedback:  lusiana.tuimaisala@fijisun.com.fj