#fjfw

RAPHA Ganilau Lee’s collection “RASA” led last night’s Resort Cruise show on the first night of Fiji Fashion Week. Barely a teenager, the boy is a member of The Haus of Koila run by his mother and chairperson of the Fashion Designers Alliance of Fiji, Adi Koila Ganilau Lee. Daring to mix up stripes, florals, and symmetric, the young designer showed ideas well beyond his tender years. Clearly not taking part to make up the numbers, the collection proved that the young have something to say, a fact Fiji Fashion Week organisers wanted to highlight. “We have started a trend of opening the runway to super talented young people and this year is no exception,” FJFW said. “Rapha Ganilau Lee is right in his comfort zone popping sketches and concepts that had our team saying WOW!” The Resort Cruise show was opened by 10-year FJFW veteran Robert Kennedy and closed by Aqua Blu Australia creative director and Dior Alumnus Kristian Chase. There were 15 collections in total.

WITH the aim of showing the world what indigenous women draw their traditional dance inspiration from, Rosie Isaac had a lot of challenges to overcome in order to bring her collection to Fiji Fashion Week 2018. Showing at its Resort Cruise show last night, Ms Isaac said she was very excited about this seasons work, “Proton”. “It was really hard because I went through so much to get this here. There was a lot of work but I am relieved,” she said. Women from the Tebara area where the designer has links to use proton leaves in the garments used for their traditional meke, a fact she infused into her resort collection. Blending prints which mimick the link with sequins, Ms Isaac said the colours and textures of the proton leaves were beautiful and unique, something she hoped to emulate last night. FJFW continues tonight with the Resort Luxe show to be opened by multi-award winner Moira Solvalu John under the fashion house 8 Mountains.

TURAGA, the name seemed almost a cliche but Jofus is anything but common, something he ensured was loudly said at last nights Fiji Fashion Week Resort Cruise show. Having helped to retail the work of another FJFW great, Robert Kennedy, Jofus Turaga clearly had some idea what fabrics works in the tropical. Combining Pacific colours, islanders obsession with floral motifs and creating them against a corporate background, Jofus offers an option for fashion forward professionals. “Actually my connection was all about celebrating and incorporating corporate and bula wear together but keeping the bula wear alive,” he said. “It’s something that you can wear and still remain formal at the same time.” A first timer, Jofus was impressed with the other designs on the runway at Day 1 of FJFW. “I thought other designers were great and they were all great in their own unique wear, it’s something that FJFW is always promoting that we can always come with new ideas, new faces on the runway.”