Fashion, Creativity And Celebration

Undoubtedly growing as one of the most eagerly anticipated ‘Night of Nights’ for Pacific people throughout the region, Pacific Runway has grown from humble beginnings in 2012 into a fully fledged runway event now held annually at Sydney’s funky multi-arts centre Carriageworks. Each year this event showcases the best of the best of Maori and Pacific creatives.

The founder Jannike Seiuli, of Samoan heritage, started the event originally to show the local community in Western Sydney what her Pacific people were capable of. Now the platform is on its way to becoming a bridge into mainstream fashion in Australia for Pacific origin designers.

Each year the guest list, both paying public and invited guests, attracts the who’s who of the Pacific diaspora in Sydney, as well as an increasingly a non-Pacific contingent from the fashion, media and creative industries including stylists and buyers.

To attend one of these events and experience the magic of Pacific Runway is truly overwhelming, and their latest show in October 2019 was no different. There is a buzz in the air on arrival as you wander through a technicolour sea of Island inspired outfits. Everything from traditional mats and Maori Kaitaka to woven vests under three piece suits, tropical kaftans and fresh flower head Ei’s (Cook Island flower crowns) – the red carpet entry was the guests’ runway.

The show was kicked off by a welcoming performance from Matavai Cultural Arts, a Sydney based arts centre promoting and teaching fundamentals of Pacific culture through dance, language, music and creative arts. This set the stage for what was to follow, a show full of life, colours, dancing, music and exquisite fashion – all with a truly Pacific flavour.

The start of the show pays homage to the rightful Owners of the land the show takes place on, the Gadigal people, and is always opened by a guest Indigenous designer. This year it was Liandra Swim with a stunning collection that fuses Aboriginal Australian culture with on-trend premium designer swimwear, inspired by the indigenous pastime of storytelling.

Next featured were some of the big brands who are quite well established and well-known in the Pacific region like TAV who was splashed across the media when Princess Kate wore one of their dresses on a royal tour and Evana Couture worn by star choreographer Parris Goebel to the MTV Awards.

These stellar brands were complimented by a group of new up and coming designers who hadn’t showed at PR before. Descendant from Ngati Kahungunu, Lehi Ferris is the brains behind Urban Mizfit, a grunge streetwear brand that takesinspiration from Anime and Japanese streetwear. Vono put on a 90’s hits performance with it’s eclectic collection of lace bra-lets and studded leather, further proving the versatility of Pacific designer minds. Maori owned and operated Ahua Creationz showcased their contemporary handcrafted ceramic jewellery on bare bodies, exploring traditional Maori adornment. Other favourites were the gorgeous bright reds and oranges throughout the Havana styled Mena collection and the vivid colour and Fijian masi motif combinations from Samson Lee Fiji.

A crowd favourite was TAV, whose collection was opened by the stunning twice-crowned Miss Cook Islands, Lydia Simonis, who graciously sashayed down the runway to a heavenly ukulele melody. The designers seemingly had the freedom to choreograph their shows as they wanted. Dancing was present throughout almost every collection, and the smiling runway models exuded confidence and sass. What a difference a smile can make in a fashion show, further encouraged by the vocal crowd. What fashion show can you attend where the front row is dancing, chee-hooing and yelling

“Go cuz!” as the models strut past.

In recent years, the fashion industry has seen more and more diversity in colours, race and sizes. But Pacific Runway has got to be at the forefront of this trend when it comes to cultural inclusion.

Designers, models and all backstage crew hailed from Fiji,

Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, New Zealand, PNG and Hawaii, either by heritage or family ties. Sitting in the front row watching women of colour, of all shapes and sizes and with big curly hair like my own – I was overwhelmingly proud to be a Pacific woman and to see my people, our people and our cultures celebrated on such a stage. Across the Pacific and now the world there are various fashion festivals that showcase Pacific fashion.

From Fiji Fashion Week and the Bottega Fashion Festival to the London Pacific Fashion Week, it is only a matter of time until Pacific designers begin to be picked up in the more mainstream markets across the world.

And, with the industry now considering slow fashion over mass produced, Pacific designers are at the forefront of ethical and sustainable practices with their ability to demonstrate their use of traditional methods, materials and cultural influences in their work. Founder Jannike is looking forward to a future where Pacific Runway is Pacific Fashion Week.

That the show becomes not only a cultural fashion event of the year, but an industry focused bridge for designers to enter commercial markets and a source of Australian and global fashion trends.

Imagine this, when one day one of our very own Pacific designers showcases at a Paris or New York Fashion Week with their own team of Pacific models stomping, sashaying and dancing along the runway!

Hopefully we are on the way there.