US designer LaQuan Smith has selected 12 local models to wear his unique designs at next week's Fiji Fashion Week Show.
LaQuan, 24, who has designed outfits for stars like Lady Gaga and Rihanna, is from New York city, one of the fashion capitals of the world.
Fiji Fashion Week public relations officer, Lice Movono-Rova, said the world-renown designer was impressed with the quality of our models during auditions at the museum in Suva yesterday.
"In terms of looks, he said the selection is wide, because of our multiracial make-up — there's so many to choose from, and they're eager to work," Ms Rova said.
"And a lot of them do it for fun — not because it's their job, and so he finds them easy to work with."
She said LaQuan finally made an effort to come this year because he could relate to our fashion designers.
He wanted to contribute too, since Fiji Fashion Week was giving designers a chance.
"Back home, he was only successful because people gave him chances. By coming here he hopes that designers will be inspired and know that they can make it as long as they work very hard," Ms Rova said.
Before coming to Fiji, LaQuan was in Paris meeting possible buyers so his clothes could retail in France.
At the age of 13, his grandmother gave him a sewing machine and he basically taught himself to sew and design.
This is the first time for LaQuan in the Southern hemisphere, and the star designer even brought along some outfits from his famous robotic collection.
"Absolutely! I have brought them, I want FJFW to be a success, so if I can contribute to that, I will," he said.
And what kind of models was he looking for?
"I wanted strongly built girls with feistiness and attitude," Ms Rova quoted LaQuan as saying.