Not sacrificing style for comfort

LICE MOVONO

PASTELS have made a comeback as has retro styling from the 1980’s and 90’s, a fashion development that Rogue Stitch label took to in a big way at the weekend’s Fiji Fashion Week Finale “Resort Luxe”.

The label which debuted only in August this year at the Wearing Fiji Project show is taking apart the myth that men don’t care as much as women do about the daily don. 

Andrew Powell, the name behind the new label, although undoubtedly one of the older names in the Fiji Fashion business has worked hard to navigate new trends and his own inspiration to create a cohesive collection.

The result? A collection that was new, trendy and fitting perfectly in the power line up of 15 designers who closed the fashion season at the luxurious Hilton Fiji Beach Resort & Spa on November 28.

“I am experimenting with different prints and textures using a light and summery colour pallette. Being influenced or inspired by several things such as music, pop culture, colour and lifestyle,” Powell said ahead of the show.

“I would like to think that men are a bit more self-aware of their style and more confident to experiment with different prints, cuts and colours, rather than being constrained by the traditional basics of the past. I like to design clothes that I would wear and that can be easily mixed with pieces that already exist in your wardrobe.”

“Comfort is important without sacrificing style.” 

His biggest challenge had been to make it cohesive and his excitement at bringing the collection together showed on the beach runway the garments were showcased on in Nadi, Fiji.

“I decided that it would be a great opportunity to join my fellow designers and continue the momentum, returning to FJFW as an established designer. What’s different? I’m just having fun trying to balance creativity and wearability which is a great learning experience.”

Fiji born, the Yat Sen Secondary School studied at what had been known in the 90s as the Fiji National Training Council campus in Nabua, now a part of the cohort of Fijian institutions who form the Fiji National University. 

With a Certificate in Fashion & Textiles, Powell moved to London after the 2000 coup and lived and worked in no other than Notting Hill.

Known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting events such as The Notting Hill Carnival and Portobello Road Market, the neighbourhood has always had an association with artists. A blockbuster 1999 romantic comedy film featuring Hollywood A listers; Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts accurately portrayed the spirit of the area.

“I lived and worked (there) for almost 6 years, managing Starbucks Coffee shops in Notting Hill, home to the world famous markets where brands such as Sass & Bide were born and where they filmed the Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant movie of the same name.” 

His London stint having effectively preserved and some might say encouraged his fashion dreams, Andrew moved back to Fiji in mid 2006 and thence to Brisbane, Australia to study towards an Advanced Diploma course in Fashion Design & Technology then a Diploma in Business & Marketing.

Educated and inspired, Powell returned to Fiji in 2013 to work for Mark One Apparel who at the time had become the first local garment manufacturer to establish a fashion line and quickly snapped up the Australian label Scanlan Theodore which Powell directly worked on. 

Founded in 1987, the leading Australian luxury brand has an elegant European style which for 30 years has created a simple, clean and modern aesthetic.

It had an influence on the now fully fashion designer Powell which when coupled with another young designer at the time, Lana Smith, led to the winning “Elegant Rebellion and Electric Rose” creation which won them FJFW Best Established Designers 2013 following Powells win of the same award the year before and Smith’s win in 2011.

He went on to become head of design, patternmaking and production management for Malia Clothing under Treehouse Boutique and in 2017 joined Lyndhurst where he is patternmaking Manager, working exclusively for another leading Australian label, ‘Kookai’ which of course is owned by Australian Fijian Rob Crombe.

“It is a thoroughly enjoyable and challenging role where we constantly learn and grow due to the unique nature of our business, helping to manufacture and supply new styles each and every week to the Australian and global market,” Powell said. 

“I think that sometimes you don’t have to be inspired as such, rather that there is an innate ability within each person and that they only need a trigger and the support of their family and friends to ignite it. My trigger was probably the first time I looked through a fashion magazine at high fashion editorials and admired the work of European designers like Versace and Valentino.” 

Powell’s simple and small business operations has helped the label escape most of the disruptions of the COVID19 pandemic and it is advise he wants to share with those coming into the industry.

“I think that the businesses that have been hit hardest by the global pandemic, have been those that are large in scale and unable to diversify their product or service to cater for either their market’s shifting priorities or to tap into new or local markets.”

“Smaller businesses or startups have been able to adapt well as they have not invested so much into assets or property that have become redundant. My advice would be to start small, refine your product and grow organically at a pace that is manageable and profitable.” 

“Now might be the time to take creative risks but if there is anything I have learned from 2020 it’s that you never know what the future holds and nothing is certain so be cautious with your business decisions.”