FASHION weeks attract the glitterati, the fashion editors, the best-dressed fashionistas, wholesalers, buyers and the wanna be's if they could be.
They all want to be seated in the front row at the best shows. A new term has been coined the front rowers FROWS.
They were all there at Aurelio Costarella's show! Haute couture without a doubt.
The very clever young man of Italian lineage from Western Australia made his mark on the Sydney scene with his first collection in 2000.
With a huge desire "to want to create" his MAFW collection was out of this world.
It was magical as the catwalk was enveloped in wisps of pink clouds of smoke, the first model stepped out like a fairy- tale becoming a reality.
The look and feel was a reminder of the renaissance period with corset dresses in hues of lilac pink, peach, lemon green, sky blue and ivory, all soft beautiful colours.
Such a fragile look as the models floated down the catwalk, the audience was mesmerised.
Ivory is a real big colour and most designers have used it in their work.
It would be an absolute victory should one of our local designers venture into this high-end design. However, it could take a while and is the main objective of Fiji Fashion Week. But to attain this level of design, formal education in the art of design, garment construction and production management are vital and crucial to this development.
One may suggest there is no place in Fiji for such exquisite couture pieces and that it would hardly be practical to wear this to a cocktail party at the Holiday Inn or the Fale at the Forum Secretariat for instance.
I beg to differ, you can wear anything wherever you want to, it is how you wear it!
I believe in getting all "dressed up to the nines" whenever possible try every day, it makes one feel good, it will certainly make you stand out.
Fiji Fashion Week has certainly invoked this trend and it is very obvious that more so than ever, our women are right out there with beautiful pieces at every event.
The show is over when the music reaches a crescendo and the models walk the finale, out comes Aurelio Costarella to shouts and applause of congratulations to another fine collection of strong aesthetics and exquisite fabric.
This is a great experience for our local designers after five shows they have seen how much more research and learning they need to perfect their art in time for FJFW on October 18-20, 2012.
* Ellen Whippy-Knight is the managing director of Fiji Fashion Week