The Cultural Centre in Malifa came alive on Friday night as designers, artists and models showcased their hard work for the Season 6 finale of the Le Independent Fashion Expo Convention Pacific show.

The premier fashion show is the only forum in Samoa that provides a platform to showcase the talent and creativity of artists from around the region. The annual fashion show attracted international designers outside of Samoa who rubbed shoulders with emerging local talent.

Samoa's Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa addressed hundreds of fashion enthusiasts who assembled at the centre on Friday night.

Celebrating the sixth season of the Life-Con fashion show is a "milestone", according to Fiame. She commended the hard work, dedication, and commitment of the organisers, fashion designers, make-up artists and models who worked hard to make "life-long dreams" become realities. 

She also highlighted the importance of pursuing dreams and achieving goals and zoomed in on the show, saying it was important as it not only showcase the talents of the designers but also marketed and promote Samoan patterns and designs. 

The premier fashion show in town is also an inspiration to motivate young and upcoming designers and artists to pursue their dreams, according to the Prime Minister.

She added that the Government endorses any initiative that creates and offers opportunities for Samoans to showcase their God-given talents while pointing out that she is of the view that the fashion show also helps build the confidence of young Samoan women in the fashion industry. 

Fiame also acknowledged the hard work that went into bringing in regional and international fashion designers to be part of the national fashion show in Samoa and used the opportunity to welcome the designers from outside of Samoa who attended. 

Emphasising the importance of working in collaboration and partnership with regional and international designers, the Prime Minister said it is to not only market local brands but also to broaden the knowledge and skills of Samoa's local designers. 

Life-Con Pacific director and creator, Vaagi Kevin Lucky said this year’s setup focused strongly on empowering artists and small businesses to strengthen their online presence and fully utilise social media platforms to effectively market their brands.

The show was breathtaking, classy, and enjoyable as the guests settled in to see the latest in Samoan fashion with the models putting on the flair and confidence of their designers through their apparel.  

But that was not all as the platform also afforded the opportunity for hair and makeup artists, performers, and young artists to show their work. Amongst a wide range of garments shown by experienced as well as emerging designers, there were stunning pieces as well as beautiful Samoan fashion wear for a range of sizes as well as locally made pieces of jewellery. 

The finale on Friday night concluded three days of fashion fiesta, art display, and workshops for established and emerging designers in Samoa. It also included colourful varieties of traditional wear, extraordinary as well as modern apparel, and everything in between.  

The designers who participated in this year's Life-Con Pacific show included Rimani Samoa, Nelly Samoa, Lady Ursula's Fashion, KuiViti Pacific from Fiji, Le Laga'ali Atelier from American Samoa, Le Ata Samoa and Lucky Max.