Shane Pickering’s time with his grandmother helped him discover his skill as a designer. Today, he owns his own brand LABORIEL.
At the age of 25 years old, Shane Samuel Laboriel Pickering has become a household name in the fashion industry.
Mr Pickering is the creative director for LABORIEL.
Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Lynda Tabuya, donned a LABORIEL designer dress while delivering a key message at the United Nations. LABORIEL has been in business for three years.
Mr Pickering hails from Dravo, Lomanikoro in Rewa and shares maternal links in Nanumea, Tuvalu.
He holds a Certificate III in Fashion Design and Technology from the Australia and Pacific Coalition. “I visited my grandmother at her handicraft stall at the flea market and helped her sell her products. That’s where my passion for fashion and business began.”
Tell us about your role and experiences before starting business.
As creative director, it is challenging because you need to meet the demands of your clients and maintain good customer relationships and service every time.
Before I started my business, I had to work odd jobs to fund my business, because it’s always difficult to start up any business without funding.
My business was founded in 2020 after completing fashion school. I have been in business now for the past three years. I have clientele now in America, Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Samoa. I am now retailing out of The Pacifique Artisans Collective boutique located at shop 203 new Container Mall, Suva Flea Market.
How do you cope with the demands of professional and personal commitments?
I manage my time wisely.
What influenced choices? your your the
career difficulties reaching customers. Facebook and Instagram made it easier for us to still operate our business.
It affected our sales drastically, but it also taught us to diversify into other products like face masks. During the pandemic I taught myself to make face masks to sell to my friends and family in Suva and abroad.