There is not one way to be successful and if a locally made clutch can change the world, one print at a time, I’m all for it. Colours have immense effect on us and it is a powerful tool in impacting mood, behaviour and thoughts. 

There is just something about vibrant colours that uplifts the soul. House of Pele does might just do this for you. I enjoyed my visual therapy at the Insel Fehmarn Hotel after a meeting yesterday. You will have to take a little walk through the reception area but it is worth the lunch stop.

House of Pele started in 2016 and officially opened its doors in 2021. Inspired by her late grandmother, Peleiupu, Brianna Bartram’s House of Pele takes traditional and modern turns into designing. She came into the fashion industry in a very unusual way and is no stranger to the business world. Although she found success in the United States working in finance and accounting, she was really longing for a more creative outlet.

“It was around that time Instagram started becoming popular and photography started to interest me. Through dabbling in photography I realized, I had a passion for visual design. Ultimately, I decided I really wanted to create a physical product, so I began making handbags with my own prints.

"I especially love the bold motifs of our local Tapa and Tatau designs. I often research the traditional meanings behind the symbols, but when I go to create my prints, I pull it all together in a way that just looks or feels right.”

The hotel that the gift shop is housed in was built and owned by Brianna’s grandparents, who also created multiple businesses in their lifetime. 

“This is where my entrepreneurial spirit comes from. My nana was also a Taupou and known as a graceful dancer in her day, so since I endeavour to create lovely things, it felt like the perfect fit to name the line after her”

After COVID closed the world and changed the face of tourism, Brianna pushed herself to create House of Pele as another income stream for her family. She went to night markets in May of last year to display her products and by the end of the year, the hotel renovation included Fehmarn Shoppe.

House of Pele sells Pacific style jewellery that are overseas and locally sourced as well as their own line of locally made clutches. Other brands include ‘Floral Girl” jewellery created by Sanita Ioapo Tuala. There is no current online shop but you can contact them on their social media pages. The website will be re-established for customers’ convenience in the near future. If you are looking to express yourself through Pacific fashion, give a gift that was made or designed in Samoa or hoping to take a piece of the islands back with you, this is the place to go.

Future hopes for House of Pele include offering more variety and consistency of stock in their current jewellery and handbag range. In addition, Brianna hopes to venture into clothing and perhaps even home goods like linens.

Advice for anyone starting out and trying to build a brand? “I would encourage people to just create and start selling their products online, at night markets, or in pop-up shops. There are many others pursuing fashion in Samoa, but I think there is space for many creators to thrive in this industry. 

I can often tell what company produced a bag or clothing item just by observing the print, so each brand’s unique style gives them their own sense of individual identity in the market. Once you’ve found your own aesthetic and know what you are competent in creating, start observing what customers are consistently buying from you. 

A successful venture is going to be something that finds that sweet spot between your passion and what the customer is looking for. Creating something beautiful may make you a designer, but creating something people want to buy is what makes you a business person.

“Success will be determined by how well you serve your market. Women do tend to carry more familial responsibilities which could be seen as a conflict to the demands of operating a business, but if someone is called to a certain industry, I believe God will give them the grace to carry both things. If you look at the Biblical Proverbs 31 woman, she was the true picture of industriousness. 

She looked after many things successfully, and saw to it that her dealings were profitable. As women, I believe we have been given a special grace to attend to many arenas of life at once”. You can follow House of Pele on both IG and Facebook and find them at Motootua, inside Insel Fehmarn Hotel. Enjoy!