Fashion is an indispensable part of our lives - HOK

Last week 365 Fiji had our first media invite to the launch of ‘The Haus of Koila – Sustainable Fashion with a Purpose 2020’ at the Novotel Hotel in Lami.

My first reaction to this was "another fashion show?" Seems like there is a fashion show every other week. What would make this show different from the past shows or the more to follow before the end of 2020?

If you are like me and have very little knowledge of the local fashion industry – fashion to us means sexy, revealing, and provocative and simply not everyone’s cup of draunimoli, pushing the boundaries of Fijian fashion culture with a cost that will empty our already empty pockets.

However, I was pleasantly surprised along with my good friend learned a lot more about the Haus of Koila (HOK) than we expected.

“We tend to argue whether the latest trends or fashion is good for our culture, and for us, we adopt new fashion rules, trends and create something new on our own which is trendy and decent at the same time. Having said that, fashion is an indispensable part of our lives.” - Adi Koila Ganilau, Director, The Haus of Koila

The first thing that stood out was this word – ‘decent’. In an industry that thrives on social media likes, and shares – ‘decent’ would not be the term to get you the number of likes or shares needed to make a sale. However, to hear it being said, it was an indication that culture was still intact and very influential in the HOK.

The standout component compared to other fashion shows was that the HOK is a family business with all her children playing important roles in making the business work.

Radini Nayau Ciara Lee who is only 14 is the shows choreographer and a member of the Mata Dance Team. She is also the producer of HOK Skyties Scrunchies.

Rapha Unaloto at 16 assists in the garment construction for HOK. An artist at heart, Rapha was part of the Art Envoy Program with the US Embassy & Tasty Treats. In October Rapha spent 3 days in Wainiyavu Primary School in Namosi as a community project and was able to brighten up the classrooms, gifting the students with newly paint desks.

The eldest of the three - Langima’a Ganilau now 21 is in charge of all the videography on the HOK page and with her siblings, are the face of HOK.

While the children doing their part in building the business and themselves – HOK Director, Fiji Fashion Designer, and mother Adi Koila navigates the best route for the brand.

“I hope to make people have a much bigger appreciation for fashion that is VALUE-DRIVEN, AUTHENTIC, INCLUSIVE and TRANSPARENT, one that cares for the people and the planet more and not just about profit.” HOK Director

This is the third thing that intrigued me, that the designer who is also a single mother for not one but four children had the strength and vision to be able to approach the fashion industry wholistically. Raising a family, implementing a sustainable fashion model in the business, instilling social responsibility, and now moving into philanthropy.

The actual show is to be held at Novotel Lami on the 17th of December and will be a time capsule collection reflecting different generations from the late former First Lady, Ro Adi Lady Lala Mara to her great-granddaughters who are learning to embrace the new world that was and will become post-COVID-19.

So, if you want to catch a glimpse of the amazing collection, tickets will be on sale on the HOK platforms from November 12th at $150 VIP and have a seating limit of two hundred.