The inaugural Samoa Fashion Week is not just about showcasing the designs available.

It’s also about learning the intricacies of the industry, improving the designs and nurturing the future.

That’s precisely the goal of a Fashion Forum, which started yesterday at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel. It ends today.

The organizing committee of the Event invited some influential fashion designers from overseas to share their experiences and skills with local designers. 

Among them are Sarika Young of FTM Modeling Agency in Australia, Fa’ilepou Peni of the Pacific Runway Fashion Show, Lisa Touma of Coconet TV, and top local designers.

Presenters from the Samoa Chamber of Commerce, Samoa Association of Manufacturers and Exporters (S.A.M.E.) and the Samoa Art Council are also involved.

President of the Samoa Art Council, Seiuli Allan Alo, said the Forum is extremely important.

“This forum looks at different ways of understanding policies, understanding designs, understanding models and opportunities and also understanding the market,” he said.

“So we have an array of people who are experts in the fashion development, who we have asked to be here. It’s a very new concept to have forums during fashion week to educate all the designers and especially those who aspire to become fashion designers.” 

“This is an opportunity for them to listen and learn from the established designers and the experts in the industry to help them as they climb the ladder with their careers.”

“It is one thing to make fashion and display it. But we have to talk about the concept behind making the  fashion. What’s the inspiration behind the fashion, where can we get different ideas to create fashion and many other areas.”

Yesterday, the emerging designers had the opportunity to listen and learn from the different speakers on how to develop their talents. They also learnt different ways to market their products overseas.

 “We touched on how to sell your products, and looking at the quality control, quality assurance of the product and fashion. And also on how it gets from Samoa to overseas.”

Seiuli said it is also about education and learning from each other.  “The forum is very essential because it’s educational,” he said.

“You can’t just do a fashion show without talking about the adverse effect and benefits of fashion and also the advantage and disadvantage of fashion.”

Today (Wednesday) it will be the model’s turn to learn from the forum. 

“We have a professional model also from Australia, Sarika Young and Fa’ilepou from the Pacific Runway Fashion Show, who will be speaking about modeling today.”