Page 12 - IB MAR 2017

TradeBusiness
Scion of chiefly family turns fashion heads

Koila’s
Koila’s

House
House

by Netani Rika

KOILA Ganilau is descended from two of
the most powerful households in Fiji – the
Ganilaus from Somosomo, Cakaudrove
and the Maras of Lakeba, Lau.
Both families have connections to ev-
ery conceivable branch of nobility in Fiji,
Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, Maohi (French
Polynesia) and Aotearoa, New Zealand.
But Ganilau is intent on branching away
from the family firm and making a name
for herself in the House of Koila under the
fashion label Maramadina.
The business involves design of fabric,
island wear, beach wear and Pacific fash-
ion based on contemporary, original ideas
using colour and flair.
It’s not been easy.
The business was born in 1991 with
the gem of an idea gleaned from watch-
ing a bevy of beautiful aunts parade the
catwalks of Suva in the late 1980s.
In 2007 Ganilau joined Jacks of Fiji as
an in-house designer, taking with her the
vision of the Maramadina label.
“I’ll always be grateful to Jacks for that
opportunity to create new designs and ex-
pose the label for people to see, appreciate
and enjoy,” Ganilau said.
Five turbulent years later after design-
ing for others and a particularly rough
domestic situation it was time to move
out of the comfort of Jacks and into the
competitive world.
Elegance in
every sense ... A
model shows off a
Maramadina design
at a show in Sydney.
Left: Relaxed ...
beach wear.
Right: Floral shirts
in the Maradina
wardrobe.
Far right: Hard
at work in the
Maramadina factory.
Photos: Supplied

12 Islands Business, March 2017