Designer Jed Taylor was inspired by the beauty of this plant ‘Bird of Paradise’ and named his first collection Tuwisi .

The collection was launched during the Epeli Tuibeqa’s Koro Makawa show at the Fiji Museum on Saturday night.

The colours, design and prints that Mr Taylor used were commended by the attendees at the show.

“I saw what it looked like in my head, and the next step was putting it all together in the span of a stressful two months,” Mr Taylor said.

Fiji Fashion Week designer of the year Epeli Tuibeqa, Fiji Fashion Week founder Ellen Whippy-Knight, emerging designer Jed Taylor Photo: Laisa Lui

Now next on his list is putting together another collection before December.

He is also looking for a space where he will be retailing from.

Fiji Fashion Show founder Ellen Whippy-Knight was pleasantly surprised with the newly launched collection.

“It is wonderful to see the way these young designers keep developing,” she said.

“Jed Taylor’s first collection is absolutely amazing, and I truly felt it was fabulous.

Emerging designer Jed Taylor (centre) with models during the Koro Makawa Fashion Show at the Fiji Museum on October 29,2022. Photo: Leon Lord

“For a first timer- he is trying to find his niche’ and to identify his uniqueness in his print and his styling-that’s going to take a little while,” Ms Whippy-Knight said.

“Fashion is all about experimentation and taking risks and standing outside the box and identifying a unique designer and it does like it’s anybody else’s.”

“All the big labels have their own identity.”

To enter the fashion industry, a new designer needs to find out what makes them different from everybody else, Ms Whippy-Knight said.

“With Jed just starting, he has done really well.”

Feedback: laisa.kabulevu@fijisun.com