Rooftop Cocktail Feature Designers From Around The Pacific
The Bottega Fijian Fashion Festival is launched into its future this Friday, and the first event to kick it off is the Rooftop Cocktail which includes the only group show, featuring designers from around the Pacific.
Budding designer Gabriel Gade is ready to flaunt his latest collection from his label GG at the group show following the Rooftop Cocktail next Friday evening, June 7, at the Grand Pacific Hotel.
Gabriel will be collaborating with local material entrepreneur, Mere Naitaka of Pendeza Fiji, with fabrics that are brought in from Tanzania, where she spent a few years which are bright and boldly printed.
Age: 19 Roots to Fiji:
I hail from Naroi, Moala in Lau having maternal links in Nukutubu, Rewa. I was born in Suva but I grew up in Navakaka Village, Savusavu, Vanua Levu.
Occupation:
I am currently studying at the University of the South Pacific majoring in Accounting and Financial Management.
Fun facts:
I attended Marist Brothers Primary School where I took part in a lot of extracurricular activities; I once captained our Under 14 Marist rugby team where we reached the finals and came in 2nd; I won a bronze medal for my school in a 400m race at the 2013 Suva Zone Meet Athletics Competition; I came in 2nd for my school in the 2013 Reserve Bank and BSP Drawing Competition.
Secret talent:
I can hold my breath under water for 1minute 30 seconds!
How long have you been designing for?
I have been designing for the last 3 years. I started in a student designer’s fashion show representing Marist Brothers High School in 2016 and 2017. The student designer’s show was a really memorable experience for me but I felt confined to the idea of only designing four pieces from the collection and wanted to do more so, in 2018 when the Fijian Fashion Festival was launched I knew it would the perfect platform for me to launch my label and release my debut collection. This will be my fourth year designing and 2nd year participating in the Festival.
What are your thoughts of the Fijian fashion industry?
Looking at local designer labels such as Samson Lee, Zuber Fiji, Haus of Mausio and 8 Mountains, it is so exciting to see what the future holds for the fashion industry.
What’s the next step for your brand?
I plan on setting up an online boutique by the end of this year.
What’s the inspiration behind your collection for the Bottega Fijian Fashion Festival?
This year I am very fortunate to be collaborating with Pendeza Fiji. We will be releasing an African-inspired collection at the Bottega Fijian Fashion Festival, which hasn’t really been showcased much on any of our fashion platforms before, so this is definitely something new and exciting people can look forward to at this year’s show.
If you could collaborate with anyone in the world on a collection, who would it be and why?
I would love to collaborate with Olivier Rousteing, the creative designer behind the fashion brand Balmain, because he always brings this whole other level of fashion attitude on the runway and I’d love to learn so much from him.
ANNETTE SETE- LAVAGIRL
Papua New Guinean designer, Annette Sete is a ‘Moana’ designer featuring her garment and jewellery creations at the group show this Friday evening (June 7th) at the Bottega Fijian Fashion Festival at the Grand Pacific Hotel. She spent six months studying fashion design at the Australian Pacific Training Coalition last year, and can’t wait to showcase her latest designs back in Fiji.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Annette Sete and I’m now a fulltime designer of my label, “Lavagirl”. I’m from East New Britain in Papua New Guinea (PNG), and my label name is inspired from PNG’s famous volcano – Mount Tavurvur.
How long have you been designing for?
I have been designing for the last three years; six months of that were spent in Fiji studying Fashion and Design technology under APTC (Australia Pacific Training Coalition).
What are your thoughts on the Fijian fashion industry?
The Fijian fashion industry is leading the region and I learnt a lot while studying. PNG has a lot more to learn from Fiji’s industry.
What’s the next step for your brand?
I have been working at building my brand awareness throughout the country (PNG) and the Pacific. I’d love to make Lavagirl products available to more countries in the Pacific region, and Fiji is the first stop. I made contacts when I lived there and hoped to come back and promote my products when people still remember me.
What’s the inspiration behind your collection for the Bottega Fijian Fashion Festival?
My pieces are more everyday wear: kaftans, maxi dresses, etc. I am also big on jewellery and the idea is to create - using materials local to the Pacific and to home, such as coconut shells and seashells, seeds, wood and natural fibre. I love the idea of using natural materials and blend them with modern materials.
The inspiration behind this collection is “creative life in the islands”. Given our limited resources, I find that Pacific Islanders are creative people; we find ways to make things work and I’d love to showcase that creativity and as a celebration of the Pacific life through coconuts!
If you could collaborate with anyone in the world on a collection, who would it be and why?
If I could collaborate with anyone in the world, it would be Australian Collette Dinnigan because I love her whole business model and the products.
Limited tickets remain for the Bottega Fijian Fashion Festival’s Rooftop Cocktail. Tickets are $150 and available for purchasing at the Zuber Fiji boutique at Shop 2, QBE Insurance Arcade, Suva or by emailing