Fashion Week plan revealed

By Sarafina Sanerivi 26 July 2016, 12:00AM

Fashion in Samoa is making great strides. And in an effort to celebrate Fashion-Made in Samoa, the country will soon host its inaugural Fashion Week.

Organised by the Samoa Art Council (S.A.C) in collaboration with the Pacific Runway Fashion Show in Sydney Australia, the Show is scheduled for September.

The plan was revealed by the President of S.A.C, Seiuli Allan Alo during a press conference held at Tanoa Tusitala yesterday. Seiuli was accompanied by the Vice President of S.A.C, Vanya Taulealo, Treasurer, Jackie Loheni of MENA and Cecilia Keil of Cecilia’s Fashion.

 “It’s something that we’ve been trying to do, to develop fashion in Samoa,” said Seuli. 

“Samoa has in the recent years flourished in terms of well promoted, well marketed fashion houses. MENA, Cecilia’s, Peter Tamasese and Plantation House with Merita Wendt to name a few. These are some of the earlier fashion labels that have set the scene for fashion designing in. These style icons have undoubtedly been inspired by their Samoan environment and heritage.

 “Today, more fashion houses are on the rise such as Mahealani’s island Wear, Samoa Lokostyle, Kara’s Fashion and fashion boutique stores such as My Tiara’s Boutique, Janet’s of Samoa and Daphne’s. The flea market is also filled with fashion designs by small time entrepreneurs.”

The Samoa Fashion Week will start from Monday 12 September to 17 September 2016.

According to Seiuli, the vision is to develop the different genres of art in Samoa. “It’s not just fashion,” he said. “We’re looking at music, dancing, the media, visual arts, video production and others.”

For the event, S.A.C has been working with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (S.P.C), and the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (M.E.S.C) and other relevant ministries.

 “This is where we look at all the different genres of the art to try and develop the arts and get it out in the market and to the international level. We need to standardise and benchmark those standards for us to compete in international forums.”

Seiuli said the Week is an idea they want to grow for emerging designers.

 “There are so many talented young people who want to have a platform to design and show what they have. Yet, we don’t have that nationally. We also have so many pocketed fashion shows, the recent one is the Sinnet Samoa one and we are trying to centralise these pocketed fashion shows in a way that it covers everyone and not just individuals or a group of people. 

“This is a very national opportunity to call all the fashion designers, all the models and all the supporters and the sponsors, educators and practitioners to come together and support this.”

The Samoa Fashion Week is divided into four components. The first one will be the Charity Cocktail and the Official launch, which will be held on 12 September at the Tanoa Hotel. 

The second part is the Fashion Forum which will be held for two days from the 13-14 of September also at the Tanoa Hotel. 

“This will be a great opportunity for our local designers, both established and emerging designers to learn from our expertises on the different techniques and skills in designing and also on how to meet international standards.”

The third part of the show is the Fashion Market Showcase, held at the Tanoa Hotel from the 15-16 of September. 

“The showcase will be a great opportunity for all our local designers to bring in their work and showcase it to the people of our country and also the tourists,” said Seiuli.

And finally, the main event on Saturday 17 September, which is the Fashion Show at the Tanoa Swimming Pool. The Show will feature 10 established designers and five emerging designers. 

“The two winners will accompany Cecilia and Mena to the Pacific Runway Fashion Show in Sydney Australia in October. Proceeds from the event will financially support the two winners to attend the Pacific Runway Fashion Show in Sydney Australia.

“It’s going to be a big opportunity for us here in Samoa to take the emerging and established designers and their work and expose them to Australia and the international market. Cecilia has already broken into that market, and so has MENA.”

 The show will showcase 6 different Genres of fashion 1) Resort Wear, 2) Urban wear, 3) Big Mama, 4) Church Inspired 5) Creative/Traditionally inspired Wear and, 6) Evening Wear.

By Sarafina Sanerivi 26 July 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>