The successful beginnings of the Fashion industry in Fiji was because of the amount of work put in by a team of individuals whose vision of Fiji included producing the latest fashion complete with designers, stylers, models and so on.
One of those individuals is Meliki Temo, model co-ordinator for the Fiji Fashion Week for the last four years.
Through Fiji Fashion Week and Meliki's work, there are a group of well trained models in Fiji who are experienced enough to be head turners on the catwalk.
Meliki's first work was put to the test at Fashion Week's debut show in 2008 where she was asked to help out with the culling of the models that were to take part in the show.
And for a first-timer, one would have thought it would be hard for Meliki but this diligent woman combined both research and adding her own personal touch to help the models.
"It was not really hard for me because I come from a HR background and I do a lot of training, and this came in handy especially in talking to the girls about what is expected of them both from the audience and the designers, in order to make the show a successful one," she said.
Meliki's human resource background came in handy during these times as she worked tirelessly with the models to ensure a successful show was produced.
"For me it's just about getting someone out of their comfort zone like, when the girls first came in, they were kind of shy, but we reassured them and also told them it would help in their own personal development by building confidence," Meliki says.
But with her work Meliki has had to be blunt at times and most of all keep to the requirements that is usually the benchmark in selecting models.
In Fiji however, the requirements are not as strict as international standards because Fiji Fashion Week takes into consideration the natural physique of Pacific woman.
"In Fiji we have curvy women, bigger women, and apart from that, we also promote healthy living, so we do not really go for the hourglass figure that is usual on the international scene, but rather we work according to the designers' specifications," Meliki says.
"We have models ranging from size eight to size 16 because we have designers who design clothing for all these women, but the important thing is, to make the girls feel natural and to be themselves," she adds.
However, height is one thing they have not compromised on, with models who are either one inch on each side of five feet nine being taken into the fold and trained.
"We have never gone to the extremes where we require the girls to undergo a crash diet or some things of that sort," Meliki says.
The other part of her job is taking the models through their steps at rehearsals and taking them to skin care clinics and working with the designers and stylers to produce the looks that designers think does suit their designs.
In the Fashion Week debut show four years ago, 30 models were featured, but now they have 50 models in their database and majority of these will feature at this year's show.
Another 15 models will be added and this group of models has been especially reserved for over-seas based designers who will be showcasing their international brands and creations for the first time ever in Fiji.
And the creations of these overseas based designers will be modelled by local models - thanks to Meliki and the hardworking team at Fiji Fashion Week.