Director of Tracey Farrington Fiji, Tracey Farrington,
Members of the Media,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Please allow me to start by saying how delighted I am to be joining Ms. Tracey Farrington in launching her Fiji Made Collection.
Tracey is no stranger to the fashion industry, and has been a fashion designer since the early 80’s. As a designer, manufacturer, wholesaler and visual retailer, Tracey has been supplying fashion boutiques around the world and major department stores in Australia Myers and David Jones for over 25 years.
Tracey – your contribution to the fashion industry here at home is tremendous.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We are all gathered here to celebrate and showcase the creative power that turns the wheels of Fijian fashion businesses. It is businesses such as yours, Tracey, that contribute to our creative industries.
Over the course of the next few days, I’m told Tracey, along with 14 other designers will make style statements, at “Fiji Fashion Week” – under the campaign name “FJFW Virtual 21”. A sure-enough display, that in times of uncertainty, creativity can be channeled into fashion statements of a different kind.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The word “fashion” exerts a pull on everyone. To put it in simple words, it is basically the style of wearing clothes, accessories and ornaments according to popular trends or one’s own individual preferences. Fashion, in attribute, is the art of transforming an unembellished attire into one of elegance.
Today, fashion has reached every house and the whole idea of fashion is more about wearing and carrying for your appearance — irrespective of the kind of clothes you are wearing.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fijian designers like Tracey have an open door to the internet, social media and e-commerce. As a spirited industry – they are able to build new models of businesses that balance partnership between wholesale and a direct to consumer model.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Fijian Government recognises the demand and potential out there in the digital economy, particularly in the e-commerce space.
To graduate Fijian businesses online, the Ministry is working with e-commerce platform providers, such as Vodafone and Post Fiji to connect Fijian Made products to markets in Fiji and beyond.
The Fijian Government in collaboration with Reserve Bank of Fiji, has partnered with Vodafone to assist micro to small enterprises to sign up as a merchant on ‘Vitikart’. A total of $1.2 million has been allocated for this partnership. Funds will be channeled towards covering the cost associated with getting MSMEs onto the Viti Kart platform and receiving payments through internet payment gateways.
Initiatives, such as the VitiKart comes at a time where the very existence of many businesses is conditional to their ability to break barriers and stay relevant, and ahead of the competition. So I encourage the Fijian fashion industry to embrace the e-commerce space.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Coming back to tonight’s event, putting a spotlight on creative businesses through events as such is essential. Supporting Fijian talent to develop sustainable businesses is a must. Encouraging creatives to innovate is a must for future success, so I encourage designers to be bold in design and in business.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In my role, I am constantly reminded about how well regarded Fiji is when it comes to fashion and the impact that Fijian designers and fashion retailers have brought to existence.
In culture, innovation, fashion, and creativity we enjoy a unique advantage. We have great Fijian designers and brands – Duatani, NV Designs, House of Mausio, Robert Kennedy Fiji, Kuiviti Pacific and Hupfeld Hoerder Designs amongst others – which bring together a sense of place to create unique products.
What all of you are doing here is creating an expression that extends beyond just fashion. When someone wears one of your designs, they also wear a part of our unique culture, our tradition – and that’s symbolic.
I’m sure you would have seen the iconic Rebel Wilson wear one of our local designs. By doing so, she’s putting Fiji on the map. And that’s wonderful.
I also want to remind you of the other sectors, the other businesses and Fijians along the supply chain. From a large garment factory to a small tailor – these are Fijians you indirectly support.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Tonight’s launch of Tracey Farrington’s Fiji Made Collection provides an innovative and unique way of conveying an important message about resilience of an industry which is here to stay – so I take this opportunity to thank the fashion industry stalwarts for persevering through the pandemic, and giving us a reason to dress to the nines for events when we had the opportunity to host them – within guidelines and parameters set by the Fijian Government.
I would also like to thank Debra Sadranu for hosting this event for a dear friend Tracey – within her premises, this is an example of women supporting each other to enable incredible things to happen.
Thank you all for being here this evening and supporting the fashion industry. Let’s make some positive fashion statements tonight. I wish you all an eventful evening and I congratulate Tracey once again.
Vinaka Vakalevu.