Le Independence Fashion Expo Convention (L.I.F.E-Con) held a market day at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel yesterday. 

Founder of L.I.F.E.-Con and Managing Director of E.M.D., Kevin Schuster said the concept was to provide a platform where small local fashion businesses can market their products.   

“Most of the small businesses in Samoa they cannot afford marketing, they can’t afford marketing people, so we provide them this platform so that they market their products and to have a taste of high-level marketing through an event that is properly coordinated and properly marketed,” Mr. Schuster said. 

“The reason is we want them to take that approach of marketing for their businesses, so we like them to think that if they’ve done the design make sure that they sew it properly, make sure they find a really pretty model to wear it, properly photographed it, properly dolled up, hair and makeup because that’s the whole shebang, and then use that on your social media to promote your business rather than putting it on the mannequin and putting it in front of your shop waiting for customers to come.” 

He said there are 14 fashion houses and boutiques involved this year.

“Seven hair and makeup businesses and there are five multimedia businesses, which includes photographers and videographers. So it’s a total of 26 businesses that are utilizing L.I.F.E.-Con as a platform to promote their businesses. 

“We started the marketing campaign from April, so it’s a two months long campaign and it’s been everywhere, on TV, paper, online, on digital billboards, in cinema and on the radios.

Mr. Schuster said marketing is perceived as expensive, but there is always a way around it. 

“One of the models is from Melbourne; he’s only here for two weeks. He had seen L.I.F.E.-Con online and he got somebody from Melbourne to register himself. We’ve got the Suga magazine joining. These are all the results of the marketing campaign done in the past two months. 

“There are 26 L.I.F.E.-Con talents, 18 female models and eight male models. We also got models from the hair and makeup businesses who are showcasing there work.” 

He acknowledged all their sponsors and the 13 businesses that have been kind enough to support L.I.F.E.-Con. 

 “These small fashion businesses have seen how we profile them and expose them online, and that’s how L.I.F.E.-Con has helped them get their products out there. 

“Our chosen charity is the Samoa Cancer Society and we put together this initiative called “Think Pink” where all the proceeds go towards the Society.”