Turning up the heat at the Next Generation Show for FJFW!
I am still trying to decide what was hotter, the fashion or the heat itself! But when you combine the two it probably just means summer is fashionably here!
Fiji Fashion Week kickstarted in this heat with its first show- The Next Generation Show, an outdoor event at the Holiday Inn in Suva. The event started off with a high tea and once everyone found their seats the show began only to be over within a blink of an eye! Yes, I wanting to see more!
It was an interesting mix of patterns, fabric and design and what stood out to me was how fresh and literally next generation everything looked. As per my usual, I was already eyeballing a few pieces that I am hoping to get my hands on quite soon.
Alier by Kess Baleirara
A bold play with velvet and turning up the heat for sure! The 23-year-old designer translated her edgy personality, love for K-pop and anime into fashion. Kudos for being able to pull off a velvet collection, knowing how difficult it is to work with that material. I look forward to seeing more of Kess’s work and she is definitely one designer that will always showcase collections that are edgy and out of the box.
Portulina by Cecilia Fong
Ready to wear pieces and very festive given the red, white and black colour palette, the motifs all with a fusion twist. One of my favourite designers for the afternoon and I want to own a piece already! Well thought out and put together collection, and this one will definitely be a sell-out.
Narara Collection by Ilisoni Narara
Again, another one of my favourites! Earthy colours inspired by pottery as Ilisoni had revealed and I loved the patterns and the fact that it is a very cool summer collection. His pieces appease to both men and women. The matching shirt and shorts ensemble for men is a style that is trending right now in Fiji. Narara collection is stylish, elegant and very next generation for sure!
AVS designs by Arunesh Sami
Given how hot it was in the afternoon, I was envious of the models that came out flaunting swim wear! Like honey, please give me a bikini and let me jump in the pool and watch the fashion show from there! Ok jokes aside, I loved how Arunesh decided to feature swim wear given that it is the summertime, so how timely! His collection featured island prints and has something for both men and women. We have a lot of international brands that we stock in Fiji when it comes to swimwear so having another local designer put together swimwear is brilliant!
Laboriel Fiji by Shane Pickering
Shane delivered a very modern twist using flora & fauna prints and again I use the term- very next generation. Clean crisp pieces and ready to wear, with bold bright colours that is true to the Pacific essence. Another talented upcoming designer to watch out for!
Boss lady by Priyanka Singh
Another one of my absolute favourites for the afternoon! When you hear boss lady, power dressing comes to mind and Priyanka delivered just that. Very neat, clean and crisp cut pant suits in an array of solid colours. I am sure the boss ladies eyeing her collection will not be disappointed!
SRFJ by Lolani Kollection
A fusion twist using the Fijian comb as motifs on the fabric. Again, a very well thought out collection that screams summer easy to wear pieces with shades of blue at play. I loved how this collection showcased a lot of set pieces as it seems to be a current trend picking up in Fiji.
Temesia.co by Temesia Tuicaumia
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