Fiji Fashion Week; the most ambitious of projects?

Day two in the city where it rains every day. I can't complain about the temperature and at least I am being acclimatized for my trip to Mumbai, India next week.

Today’s official luncheon event was at one of the local hotels right in the heart of Suva and having not yet navigated the city it was a surprise to find myself right in the thick of it. I'm not sure if I like what I see as the western world plonks itself into prime sites ready to capture the population’s hard earned cash at every opportunity.

 The biggest concern has to be the fast food outlets. We all know this spells health degeneration and obesity in whatever language you speak. I know this likely assault on all the available fast food establishments will only add to the country’s growing social issues.

 A debt that is also being further increased as the Fijians turn to the Chinese (given the political stance taken by NZ and Australia on the Coup) to enable the building of its larger convention centres and injection of funding to maintain their fragile infrastructure. Yes, this country is not without its problems.

 This mix of developed and developing worlds will always present problems, problems that almost become unsolvable in this digital age. Bureaucrats that are prepared to legislate and effect real change are few and far between and even when they do, timeframes and process are too slow. The digital age will always be racing ahead and presenting the world with the next best thing and possibly providing the next challenge for those that are under resourced and uneducated.

 The luncheon was in aid of the Dilkusha Children's home (an orphanage), one of many I am told, and whilst I would have loved to have seen the premises that was the recipient of this event, I was keen to be able to add real value to the cause, happy to match the amount that was paid for the auctioned Chameleon dress that I had donated.

 There are many institutions such as this on the island, the result of pressure to ensure ongoing family support is available and to avoid the shame that a child born out of wedlock will bring. One woman has even had an alarm installed on her step to let her know when a baby has been left at her door - she can get up to two babies a week .

 Conversations such as these start me thinking as to the possibilities, so many childless couples in NZ that have been unable to adopt, given the red tape hurdles, surely there must be a solution to the problem sitting three hours away on a tropical island.

 The luncheon is over, one excited woman pays $1000 for LaQuan Smith’s made-to-order gold rubber dress, helped by the pitch that the same dress was worn by Rhianna in her latest video; perfect ….it’s all part of an ever growing fund! A quick taxi ride home with a jittery driver (I've had worse…think he was listening to Rhianna) and I'm left to my own devices, the rain is pouring down so the open hotel lounge looks like a great option.

 The opening night of Fiji Fashion Week was fantastic …a huge effort from the organizers, one that was well beyond my expectations. The designers did themselves proud and the event enabled all levels of talent to showcase. The opening made me proud to have been a part of this culture in that it has so many similarities to NZ Pacifica.

 Friday…I am picked up by Mark, unapologetic for his hour time delay, shades of AirNZ, and I wonder if I will ever get used to Fiji time. He takes me to look at some of the clothing manufacturing capability here in the islands (no this is not an option for us, in fact it turns out to be quite expensive, especially when quoted in Australian $$) but it’s great to see and do as much as I can in the industry while here in Suva.

Mark has been here for 25 years and has himself well established. His factory is reminiscent of my first rag trade job and the operation that they ran, so none of this is foreign to me. He has a huge goal of recreating the manufacturing base that Fiji used to have and given the changes to legislation re outworkers in Australia, the time has never been more right. There certainly is a labour force to do so and a need to create the much needed employment. There are challenges however, as the Fijians have a propensity to let life interfere with their desire or need to work.

 My goal would be to see more of the local designers take centre stage as they certainly have the talent, to get them thinking more commercially, producing locally and meeting a tourist count that is as high as 700k surely gives them an excellent target market. Show me a woman that wouldn't want to take back a great frock as a reminder of her island holiday.

 Rosie Emberson Semisi has to be one of my favorite local designers. This lady had executed an excellent show that has huge potential to capture a relevant market. There were however many others who certainly have the ability to take their designs to market, but at this stage Fashion Week seems to be where it stops for most of them.

 Lunch on Friday at the NZ High Commission was a high point. I spoke briefly to 40 women from NZ or associated with us in some way. Some wonderful connections were made that hopefully will enable a return visit and some further work with local business. The rest of the day became monopolized by my pending fashion show, sorting my models became a moving target. The heat in the room was like nothing I'd ever been in, the dressers a little light on the ground…who am I kidding? It was chaos, but I did it and the show looked great! Show over, I said my goodbyes, went in search of food and prepared myself for a 4am checkout the next day.

 So if that’s Fiji Fashion Week, I've done it! What a great initiative from Ellen and her team! A wonderful platform to enable the showcasing of the local talent. I for one, was proud to be a part of it.

 

 

Some of my favourites from Fiji Fashion Week: L-R - Hupfeld Hoerder, Aisea Konrote Fostino and Tav

Bula...I'm in Fiji...and make that Suva!

        The trip begins badly when courtesy of Air NZ I get to spend four hours in the Koru Lounge. Not convinced that a flight with engine troubles would even depart, I was making plans for another night with my under-loved partner.

        The boarding call finally came, however the apologies for the huge delay were surprisingly limited and three hours later I'm in Nadi wondering whether my almond nuts that I'd harassed Tony to buy 20 minutes before leaving Morrinsville would make it through the Customs' sniffer dogs (yep they have them here as well), let alone the bio security machines. I show them to the officials as I enter and all is fine. Great, as these are my life line to healthy energy.

        Speaking of healthy snacks, I had a 'will I or won't I?' moment occur as I took out of my carry-on bag to check what was left of the mango strips that I had been devouring all day. This is especially important given the continued lack of free range options available as part of the in-flight meals. Perhaps we need a picture of a caged, sick chicken to feature on the safety video. Surely people want to know the origins of their plane food and ethical food choices are kind of a safety message aren’t they?

       A languid wait follows in 25 degree heat for a hotel shuttle that never arrives. We eventually climb into the nearest yellow taxi and head to our destination for the night, a seamless check in and into bed for a pointless four hours sleep. I'm back up again at 5am to be at the airport by six and the flight drama continues as flights are being cancelled given the imminent thunder storms. Undeterred, I quietly review my presentation and listen for a boarding call that eventually comes. I’m in the air and at last heading to my final destination.

        I’m picked up at the Suva airport and head towards the forum that I was supposed to open. I’m an hour late but then that’s Fiji time!

        The forum begins as another speaker has opened for me, Robert Kennedy, a well known Fijian textile designer that is doing work out of Bali. My turn is next. Thankfully the students and other attendees have stopped noisily rolling into the lecture theatre. 

        I speak for an hour, thoroughly enjoying the platform and audience. I then decide to listen to a couple more of the speakers. LaQuan Smith, a designer at 23, is fascinating. He reveals his life and business in New York and an initial marketing approach…a huge LOL moment as he describes wearing his own frocks in all the right places. The traction he has now is impressive as his data show is full of Rihanna, Beyonce and Tyra Banks. He displays such a huge passion and an absolute tenacity to succeed…pretty much the traits of all successful people.

        The conference day concludes. I head back to the hotel, a quick bag shuffle and I’m picked up by a very agitated driver as the rest of his assigned charges are still lunching, having ignored a designated time call. I guess arrogance exists in all cultures.

        The fit tests go okay. The models are lot bigger than their NZ counterparts, but in a great way. The colours of the Crush collection look stunning on the girls’ dark skins.

        With fit tests over, we begin to watch the rehearsals…long delays and much chaos. I haven't eaten all day so decide I can fix up the run challenges tomorrow. Five girls on the catwalk will never work when I have two changes and ten models…let’s just hope they have the music and the right logo…

Loving being up here and tomorrow’s another day!

 

Employment, how do you find great people?

Unemployment in today’s climate?  It’s like a Chinese puzzle box. Just when something fits and locks into place, other bits jut out in the wrong direction, and still the right buttons to push remain a mystery. Or do they?  

We all know the news is overcrowded with stories of layoffs and closures. We sit and wonder where it all will end, visualizing the soaring unemployment and wondering if these people will ever find work amongst the many others that are looking. We gloomily ponder what the resultant effect on their families will be, on their personal morale and the communities they live in.

But the other side of the coin reveals another story that has yet to be told, a story of employers that are unable to find suitable people to run their profitable and thriving businesses. I, for one, know this with over 160 women on the payroll and a business than runs to almost the four corners of the country. It is getting harder to maintain the levels of highly motivated, highly skilled stylists that we search for 365 days a year. You will almost hear the fireworks like a Chinese new year when we find great women who leap at the training and benefits we offer, and the limitless advancement possibilities.

I know it must be true for so many other retailers as I've seen so many woefully inadequate people in positions that I'm sure wouldn't be there unless their recruitment process had gone into damage mode. For many, if they don’t find the staff, they simply can’t open. There are just as many that will tell you they have run adverts for weeks and had no one apply, so relatively unskilled roles sit vacant or they face the barrage of hopeful immigrant CVs that flood in for anything and everything via digital platforms.
Rather than succumb to paranoia as to where these wonderful girls have gone that I used to find like cherry blossom in spring time, and refusing to employ those that will never achieve results or fit the company culture (I am proud for all our team to fly the Stretton flag), I’m driving change because for the time being at least, traditional models of recruitment just don't seem to work any longer.
It has been my experience that Trade Me and Seek in many cases appear to yield nothing but the perennial lookers, the grass is always greener types that are always moving on in the hope of something better.

So I’ve looked to a new approach and so far it’s working. I’m back advertising in the small weekly community papers, yep they ones that go out for free, hang around for a week and get read by so many in cafes, homes, waiting rooms, at your place and mine. These papers certainly haven't felt the impact of the technology shift which has led to lower readerships of the city papers. They also talk community news in a wonderfully positive light. Who doesn't want to read this stuff? We all do!

So, small run-on adverts - the equivalent of a good chat over a cup of tea, warm and personable. And they have yielded some wonderful results.

 Maybe it is just that my customer isn't the digital native that everyone would have me believe, maybe she's not even looking for a new role - she's just reading her local news to connect and there I am with a wonderful opportunity!

 I've also started to look at my customers, surprising that it has taken me so long really. These wonderful women that are huge lovers of my brand, surely some of them might want to work with the frocks they love and covet so much? And in fact, they frequently do join us now. It isn't too hard for them to attain strong sales results as they love the gear. They almost sell by osmosis.
Rather than suffering at the hands of the mainstream recruitment platforms, I have finally found my solace in the tried and true. Maybe just like food and fashion and the many other parts of our life that have returned to what we loved in Granny’s time, is exactly what I had found with regards to recruitment.What will future recruitment trends bring? We will all have to look into the tea leaves on that one!