Global fashion interest
INTERNATIONAL designers and fashion media interest can propel brands forward.
When international fashion designers come to Fiji to attend a Fiji Fashion Week event, they engage with local counterparts and an exchange of knowledge takes place.
Media from big media and fashion magazines have a huge following both online and in mainstream society.
They take that attention whenever they attend a Fiji Fashion Week (FJFW) event.
This is why Fiji Fashion Week works hard to bring international guests, the events managing director, Ellen Whippy-Knight said.
“It’s an intricate weaving of fashion influence, wisdom exchange and global exposure that can make a huge difference.
“We are working with Tourism Fiji, Fiji Airways and the governments of our biggest neighbours Australia and New Zealand to bring people to FJFW x Palmolive,” Ms WhippyKnight said.
“Tomorrow, April 30 is our 2022 launch when we will also announce the VIP list of international guests who have graciously agreed to attend FJFW. The benefits of these acceptances are two-fold.”
The first goal is to give local designers who will show at FJFW the chance to meet their Australian and New Zealand counterparts as equals and share knowledge.
When designers arrive, FJFW takes them on an elaborate program which includes meets with designers, rural visits, tourism excursions and public seminars and workshops.
“Local designers enjoy and learn from the exchange but these Australian designers also gather a lot from the tropics,” Ms Whippy-Knight said.
“Resort wear continues to trend globally and we are the home of this genre of fashion. So for international designers it’s an opportunity to delve into the local culture and travel destinations.”
For local designers, the exchange and opportunity to get to know their overseas colleagues can lead to collaboration and work placements which have taken place in the past.
In FJFW2021, fashion editors at The Sydney Morning Herald posted photos of the 8 Mountain collection by Lautoka-based designer Moira Solvalu.
She happened to also make huge returns on that collection last year which was photographed onboard a Captain Cruise vessel moored in the tourist hotspot of Fiji’s Western Division.
This year FJFW is working with the New Zealand High Commission in particular, hoping their support will also bring Kiwi designers and fashion editors from newspapers such as The New Zealand Herald.
The tourism fashion cross marketing is not coincidental, Ms Whippy-Knight explains.
“When the pandemic happened, most industries found value in collaborating and we did too. More importantly was the realisation that we needed to be part of the larger Fijian effort to restore our economy so we leaned into the work to revive the Fijian travel market,” Ms Whippy-Knight said.
Media attention while it means more exposure of the now 15-year-old FJFW brand, directly leads to more international sales.
“Our designers are now establishing bases abroad in most of our major markets. It is made possible by the media attention and learning exchanges.”
At the hugely successful FJFW21 virtual show, all of the collections showcased on television were shot in Fiji travel spots including the award winning Sigatoka River Safari.
This year, further to partnering with the iconic Grand Pacific Hotel, FJFW has also received formal and financial Tourism Fiji support to push the ‘Made in Fiji’ brand further.
With Fiji Airways support, that cross collaboration is brought even closer to home:
“This cross marketing and collaboration is important because the Pacific and Fiji in particular is the ultimate travel destination. You can’t speak of resort wear without Fiji. When we work together to showcase our culture and the beauty of our flora, fauna and clothing, everyone wins!”
Ms Whippy-Knight said FJFW x Palmolive was hoping that invitations to fashion editors at Australian and New Zealand media would bring more journalists to witness the unique beauty.
She said FJFW had reached out to government agencies and organisations to improve market access and attention on ‘Made in Fiji’ fashion wear.
“It’s been 15 years and we are excited about another 15 years of doing this work for Fiji and its creatives!”
FJFW x Palmolive takes place from May 21 to May 28 with the major shows Resort Cruise and Resort Luxe on May 27 and 28 respectively.
Front row tickets are sold out while tickets to the elevated rows of B through to F are available at fijifashionweek. com.fj and by calling 7088893.