FOLLOWERS and students of fashion in Fiji have a chance to learn from international fashion designers free of charge at a forum next month.
Fiji Fashion Week managing director Ellen Whippy-Knight said the Fashion Forum was funded by the Fiji National University.
She said the forum would bring together designers from Paris, India, New York, Auckland, Brisbane and Nigeria on Wednesday, October 17.
While FNU has partnered with FJFW in the past through the hosting of skills-based workshops, the 2012 Fashion Forum is the first time renowned fashion designers will be made available to the public at a free event.
"Fiji Fashion Week is proud to announce its continuous support of initiatives to enhance educational opportunities for fashion designers and we are honoured that the FNU places priority in this field," Ms Whippy-Knight said in a statement.
"The Fiji National University has always been a proud supporter of Fiji's fashion industry and their full sponsorship of this event is a clear illustration of their commitment to fashion education."
Ms Whippy-Knight said FJFW was grateful to the US Embassy, France Embassy and the New Zealand High Commission for their support and sponsorship of FJFW.
"The International designers coming to FJFW runways are on their way because their respective diplomatic missions have generously funded their trip," she said.
"These designers are cultural ambassadors of their countries and fashion plays a large part in their economies so we are grateful for the opportunity to learn from them."
The Fashion Forum starts off the fifth annual Fiji Fashion Week (FJFW 2012), which includes a charity luncheon in aid of Dilkusha Home and three nights of fashion extravaganza.
FJFW's primary objective is to create a world-class fashion week event which helps nurture, develop and promote individual stakeholders in Fiji's fashion industry.
The development of fashion education is an extension of that primary objective.