Page 14 - IB MAR 2017

Business
Out of the shadows

Fashion emerges as new business

and glamour but compassion, courage person who wants to be involved.
and passion. “If you think of what the suppliers do
As managing director of FJFW, Ellen to make this industry work, you couldn’t
Whippy-Knight - who is likely to hand have it done without the machinist,
over the management at the end of this without the stylist, without the cotton,
year - said that in the last 10 years, the the needles, and basically, you wouldn’t
By Priya Chand Pacific had found something that they be able to have a dress if you didn’t have
were good at doing. the supplies, ” Whippy-Knight said.
IN a span of 10 years, fashion has
She described the fashion industry as
But, she warned, they needed a boost
emerged as a growing new industry and further development. a “trickle down” business with event
in Fiji.
This is evidenced in the fact that “I just think that over the last 10 managers, photographers, construction
Fiji Fashion Week (FJFW) celebrates years, we have created an industry, a workers, and services including trans-
its 10th anniversary this May with a platform for the government to under- portation and catering helping to make
gold theme representing not only glitz stand that fashion is a business - an Fiji Fashion Week a success.
industry that has jobs for every single n Continued next page
‘There for me’

MARAMADINA could have been
much smaller if it had not been for
financial support from BSP.
Owner of the Maramadina label,
Adi Koila Ganilau, said help from
Small and Medium Enterprise bank-
ing staff was critical to her success.
“I didn’t have finance for the
material and definitely needed help
with book-keeping,”
Ganilau said.
“When I walk in
for advice they’re
there for me straight
away.”
To qualify for SME
financing in Fiji, cus-
Koila Ganilau tomers must produce
12 months of bank statements and
have turnover sales or total assets
worth under $FJD500,000.
Helen Whippy-Knight with her models. Photo: Priya Chand Loans of up to a maximum of
Humble beginning $250,000 under Reserve Bank of
Fiji regulations. In PNG, the bank
offers SME entrepreneurs with
an annual turnover of less than
n From PAGE 13 – national sevens coach Ben Ryan $PGK1million a number of finance
Now the Maramadina label has and captain Osea Kolinisau – at the options.
moved out of the basement and into World Rugby awards last year. While These include finance for business
central Suva with five staff members. the business is running well, a Fijian growth and expansion, together
The company aims to open a down- woman does not always receive sup- with accounts that meet your daily
town outlet over the next 12-24 port from her family. business needs or earn you interest
months while fulfilling the on-line “I’d like to think that my family is on spare cash, and innovate solu-
orders which continue to pour in from proud of what we’ve achieved so far tions that provide safe, fast and
around the world. and their support has been crucial to convenient banking.
Ganilau secured a major fashion me,” Ganilau said.
coup when she dressed Fijian heroes q netrika66@gmail.com

14 Islands Business, March 2017