Let’s Talk Fashion - FJFW2019 Cruise Show

MAUSIO by Michael Mausio

CHERISH by Cherish Prasad

FLORENCE by Florence FASHION SEASON BEGINS. Last night was the first show for the season and let me just say I was not entirely impressed with everything FJFW had to offer but there were definitely highlights. Although the party area was a bit congested and hot, the runway and seating area allowed patrons to sit comfortably and enjoy an almost two-hour show. As always, our women came dressed to the teeth. I spotted kaftans by Camilla to red soles by Louboutin and the popular little-black-dresses (LBD). Our men were there in casual suits and printed shirts. It was an amazing thing to witness first-hand just how much our fashion industry has grown in the past 7 years of my blogging experience. As much as there were many HITS for me, there were also MISSES. Allow me to break it down for you: HITS: There were a handful of designers who really brought their A-Game lastnight. My top 3 made the list because their collections stood out the most for me. Their collections showcased amazing craftsmanship, cohesion, timeless trends and style and even though we’re acquainted somehow we must give credit where credit is due and that they did a DAMN GOOD JOB this time around. MAUSIO by Michael Mausio Last year I was harsh on Michaels collection because I felt like his collection was rushed and wasn’t well thought out. This year Mausio opened the show and I was so glad that he did. Michael showed us that he was on top of his game with his 2019 range and I am super proud of him. He’s had a very successful year as an entrepreneur and designer and he showed all his success on the runway lastnight with his block and printed collection. His showstopper piece was worn by Maleli and I’m sure we can all agree that Maleli worked that last piece like the DIVA that he is. Congratulations Michael on a job well done. CHERISH by Cherish Prasad Now my sister from Savusavu kept his collection on the DL from everyone in the fashion industry. Months before Fashion Week Cherish would frequently call me to pick my brain on what I thought would and would not work for his collection. As a friend I gave him my 2cent worth of advice and left it at that. This may sound bias but let’s be real, Cherish’s collection DID NOT DISAPPOINT AT ALL! In fact, his collection on my Instagram Stories posted lastnight got the most views and shares and close to 40 responses from people who genuinely LOVED his collection. If that isn’t validation enough, I don’t know what is. His opening piece was a peplum/mullet top paired with matching shorts printed in his new CHERISH prints. Mr Prasad showcased some elegant gowns with a touch of flare and body-hugging dresses that were cut and constructed so well it was almost perfect. It’s good to witness just how progressive Cherish has been over the years. Wishing him nothing but the best. FLORENCE by Florence This new designer knows her stuff. Her collection to me felt like it was inspired by the colors of the sunset. Her pieces were trendy and styled so well for the final look on the runway. It’s no doubt that the sewing technique on her collection was A+ and she, just like Cherish, was another hit on my Instagram stories from lastnight. We love a newbie to the Fashion industry and if she plays her cards right, she’ll definitely go a long way. Congratulations Florence. MISSES: I’ll be real with you, there were a majority of pieces in some of the collections that I felt didn’t work at all. I understand that some of these designers are emerging designers and it’s their first runway show, but I feel like, at the same time, Fashion Week needs to put their foot down when it comes to quality control and final looks for these designers. As much as I respect the work that they do individually for their collections, I don’t think that some of them deserve to showcase at a platform like Fashion Week just yet. We have customers paying top dollars for seats in the front row and there are people traveling from far places to come and watch the biggest fashion event in the Pacific and so if this is the kind of quality of clothing that they are coming to see, I don’t think that it’s fair on them. We love and support local talent and we help and assist emerging designers in any way we know how, but sometimes it’s okay to just say “I’m sorry, but we think you need a bit more time to perfect your craft. Maybe try again next year”. I feel like there needs to be more marketing surrounding the Designer Illustration Workshops for the sake of our aspiring and emerging designers. There is so much talent and passion and it’s so evident on the runway, but it all comes down to the execution at the end of the day. I am not going to pick any MISSES this year because I learnt my lesson from last year and I feel like it would be unfair for our emerging designers showcasing for the first time. But with that said, my last comment would be on the runway and the model choreography. As much as it was spacious, some of our models looked lost on that vinyl runway. Maybe it was the first night and some of the new models were shy, but it just didn’t look good. Anyways, I should probably wrap up and get my nails done for the final night. Catch you on Instagram and update you again tomorrow Love, TGL