What is a fashion blog? A fashion blog can cover many things such as specific items of clothing and accessories, trends in various apparel markets (haute couture, prêt-à-porter, etc.), celebrity fashion choices and street fashion trends. They cover fashion at all levels from the biggest names to the smallest indie designers according to Wikipedia.
In Fiji during our tumultuous coup period we had blogs popping up everywhere with unsubstantiated stories that caused the rumour mill to run riot though some were true accounts of eye witness accounts. It was Fiji’s hunger for news….it was the birth of blogging in Fiji.
Since then the fashion scene/industry has now home grown many stylists who now have their own blogs with their stamp of style and flair.
Fashion Throne Fiji at FJFW13 (Pic by Neisau Tuidraki)
Mario Basilio is a stylist that is now a social media marketer who blogs and uses social media platforms to help businesses market their brands. He is a socialite that covers events in and around Fiji, he may not be a writer but he is using social media to make a living, he is considered one of Fiji’s veteran blogger and stylist.
Then enter Fashion Throne Fiji they are a group of 5 individuals with unique fashion sense who have been consistently styling, blogging for designers, photographers and now making the shift into travel blogging.
So how is this growing our fashion industry?
Fashion Council of Fiji Chairman Faraz Ali says that fashion blogging in general gives people access to fashion shows all over the globe and for us in Fiji we give it our own brand of Pacific style.
Mario Basilio Fiji’s veteran stylist and social media influencer
“It’s a global community, it brings global trends and events to our shores, take for example Fashion Throne Fiji covered the MET Gala LIVE through their Facebook page giving their critique on celebrity hits and misses, this is what we’re growing we’re trying to raise the profile and standards of the industry in the Pacific” said Ali.
FJFW Managing Director said that top bloggers are in demand and they command as much attention as the fashion editors of the top magazines.
“Bloggers are the new celebrities of the fashion industry, they are an absolute necessity for the front row, and a fashion show is now only as good as the bloggers that are in attendance, they now have the privilege of covering these fashion events and make a living out of this ” said Whippy Knight.
This year at FJFW we have a dynamic and creative team of bloggers who will be covering FJFW.
Top left: Vanisha Mishra - Vakaoti, top right: Laura Gomez, bottom left: Wilfred Fimone, bottom right: Jacquii Lie
Wilfred Fimone has been with FJFW for 3 years he’s our resident blogger for the show besides that he is a part of Fashion Throne Fiji a blog primarily and Fiji’s very own fashion panopticon delivering updates on glitterati events and fashion per se. Wilfred is also a recent graduate of the University of the South Pacific with BA in Linguistics and History and he was also a Gold Medal recipient for Linguistics and pursuing his Masters in Linguistics.
Vanisha Mishra – Vakaoti ‘s blog is ‘A Life Un-Styled’ which is in part an attempt to move away from a lifestyle that is styled for photographs towards an everyday life worth photographing. It is a blog that focuses on inspiring, connecting and interacting with people. It is written and maintained by Vanisha, a twenty-eight year old independent research consultant. Vanisha is originally from Fiji but has lived and travelled extensively. She currently divides her time between Fiji and New Zealand.
Laura Elena Gomez is a native of Texas and spent her childhood both in a bustling city and a small town on the gulf. She is passionate about traveling, fashion, and writing. Her travels have helped her to learn more about culture and style worldwide. Laura can be found on the beautiful island of American Samoa where she is soaking up the fashion and lifestyle to become an island girl. You can check out her fashion blog here.
Jacquii Lie is one of only a handful of Australian bloggers to be fully accredited as a media guest for London Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, Australian Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and Audi Fashion Festival Singapore, from backstage to the front row, Jacquii Lie of Couture Caddy travels the globe providing insight into these exclusive fashion industry events. Jacquii Lie is a regular on the guest lists of such star- studded industry events all over the world as H&M’s grand Australian opening, Moet and Chandon’s Derby Day, MYER’s Seasonal Runway, Melbourne Cup Birdcage Marquees, the opening of VOGUE Australia’s Fashion Film Festival, British Airways on-board runway show headlined by Georgia May Jagger and an exclusive intimate lunch with Orlando Bloom hosted by British Airways. In addition to walking the red carpet, Jacquii Lie meets and interviews A-listers at invitation-only events including the ARIAS, Marie Claire Awards, plus Paddington, The Great Gatsby and Les Miserables film premieres to name a few.
Its going to be an epic year of blogging at FJFW. Stay tuned for updates.
Lolomas,