ACPEU GRANT
2025
The European Union and the Pacific Community elevate Fiji's designers through mentorship, training, and global exposure.
Fiji Fashion Week Receives ACP-EU Grant to Elevate Local Designers
In an exciting development for Fiji's fashion industry, Fashion Week Limited has been awarded a grant of 69,000 Euros from the European Union, administered by the Pacific Community (SPC). This funding aims to strategically enhance the capabilities and capacities of emerging and established Fijian designers, positioning them for greater international recognition and commercial success.
The project, titled "Globalising Fijian Fashion Designers and Fiji Fashion Week," will provide 11 selected designers with extensive training over 15 weeks under the mentorship of globally renowned fashion educators Lucy Jones and Paul Rider from London. Their expertise will offer designers the opportunity to refine their skills, develop creative and innovative collections, and gain insights into the global fashion landscape.
World-Class Mentorship
11 selected designers engage in an intensive 15-week training program led by globally renowned London-based fashion educators, Lucy Jones and Paul Rider.
Education
Rigorous workshops on collection development, fashion history, and circular design principles.
Innovation
Challenging designers to deconstruct silhouettes and develop creative, innovative collections.
Exposure
Fiji Fashion Week 18, Global Indigenous Fashion Show, Kookai internship, and Australian Fashion Week.
"We are enormously grateful to the European Union for granting us the opportunity to continue to develop our local Fiji fashion designers' talents by providing the funds to deliver a special fashion education programme. This will be conducted by two experienced fashion educators from London, UK, who will train and elevate the designers in dynamic workshops and propel them onto the global stage.
Our fashion designers will be mentored over the next 15 weeks to produce a creative and innovative collection worthy of international acclaim. We thank the gracious support of the EU in recognizing this need in Fiji, where there is still no provision for the study of fashion design at any level."
"I'm delighted to be here delivering the first part of a special fashion programme designed to elevate the visibility of Fiji fashion and our 11 chosen designers. The creative and dynamic programme will give them the opportunity to develop their idea of fashion and how it will synergise with the global fashion market."
"We were assigned the circular shape by our amazing lecturer @lucyjonesider and tasked with constructing a silhouette from it. It was an exciting challenge, and I was glad to work alongside the talented @kamathemaker. While we each worked separately with our assigned shapes, our final outcomes turned out to be an incredible reflection of our unique creative journeys."
"The European Union strongly promotes cultural diversity and identity. We recognize that diversity can be expressed through several creative means, including fashion design. By awarding these grants to Fijian designers we also support the local creative and cultural industry that has a strong potential not only to strengthen cultural identity in the Pacific but also to generate income and create jobs."
With this grant, Fiji Fashion Week continues to push boundaries, supporting and shaping the next generation of Fijian designers to compete on an international level. This initiative marks a major step forward in fostering Fiji's creative industries and ensuring the global recognition of its fashion talent.
