Melbourne Cup luncheon celebrates Fiji-Australia ties

Fashion, horse racing and the close relationship between Fiji and Australia were celebrated as Fiji Fashion Week hosted its annual Melbourne Cup luncheon in Suva today.

Held at the newly opened Art Wine Bar and Restaurant on Gordon Street, the event brought together guests dressed in elaborate outfits, fascinators and hats for an afternoon of fashion, betting and entertainment.

Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji, Peter Roberts, said the Melbourne Cup reflected the close ties between the two countries.

He said reading about the Melbourne Cup in Fiji’s newspapers reminded him of the strong connections between the two nations through shared interests and celebrations.

“It just reminded me of how much Fiji and Australia are intertwined and how much we celebrate our joint events together,” he said.

Mr Roberts recalled attending Fiji Day celebrations at Albert Park last year before travelling to Western Sydney with Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, where more than 20,000 people attended the celebrations.

Fiji Fashion Week public relations consultant David Solomone said the Melbourne Cup was primarily a horse racing event but had a strong connection to fashion.

He said people often spent up to 12 months creating garments for the occasion.

Mr Solomone said the luncheon had been part of Fiji Fashion Week’s social calendar for about 15 years and provided an opportunity to strengthen Fiji-Australia relations.

He said moving this year’s event from the Grand Pacific Hotel to the newly opened restaurant also helped promote an emerging local business.

Former fashion category winner and this year’s judge, Ashiana Ali, said she had been participating in the event since 2022.

Ms Ali said originality, coordination, personal style and effort were important qualities when judging outfits.

Inspired by ocean waves and the ebb and flow of life, she said the event encouraged guests to express their creativity through fashion.