BFFs, Hosanna and Sierra, are Still Dropping Jaws with 3D Printed Fashion Collection from Vodafone FJFW

Hosanna Kabakoro spoke with Penny of FM96 Crackfast and it was pretty cool to see her stepping out of her comfort zone when it came to creating a line for the Fiji Fashion Week with her best friend, Sierra Sandison, an engineer from LA who 3D printed everything (which kept them in line with this year’s theme) and flew in from LA just for the Vodafone FJFW show this year. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this is the first time a 3D-printed collection has been shown on a runway in the Pacific.”

“I’ve shown ready-to-wear collections since launching the brand in 2020. This year I’m showing a wearable art collection inspired by my 4 favourite iTaukei goddesses.

So the goddesses-inspired styles that Hosanna mentions are:

RAVUYALO (GODDESS OF WAR) – Hosanna and Sierra used 3D-printed mirror-like elements to represent armour as the goddess of war is said to be omnipotent and all-seeing

CAGILABA (GODDESS OF FLORA AND FAUNA) – Flowers and leaves were used for this to also represent the beautiful tropical environment in Fiji

RATUMAIBULU (GODDESS OF THE EARTH) – The besties used traditional clay paint which embedded the message that Hosanna, as an iTaukei woman, would continue the fight of her forefathers to protect and keep the vanua in the hands of the iTaukei people.

“Goddess of the earth. Our indigenous land or VANUA is the most important part of iTaukei culture. We have fought to keep NATIVE LAND IN NATIVE HANDS and as an iTaukei woman I must continue ( as my forefathers have before me ) to ensure my generation treasures the immense responsibility that will one day be handed down to us; by making sure our vanua is kept sacred, and protecting her.” – Kabakoro

SINILOA (GODDESS OF LOVE) – Ancient legends talk about how Siniloa fell into forbidden love and the only way she could see her beloved was if she transformed herself into a bird which is why feathers were used for this set.

Without making the collection look like theatre outfits, the besties kept the collection in a black colour scheme which provided a nice contrast against the white runway during the show.

Fellow local designer, Nicholas Huxley, gave some advice to Hosanna and Sierra by saying to make sure that their collection was different because,