Samuel wins Designer of the Year and aims to take Fijian prints to the world

Fijian designer Sue Samuel, the creative force behind the fashion label Lavalani, has been awarded Designer of the Year at Vodafone Fiji Fashion Week 2025, and she says through her designs, she wants to help masi prints become internationally recognised instantly and keep traditional art forms alive through her label Lavalani.

While speaking to fijivillage News, Samuel says her latest collection features two new signature prints – a brown cawaki print and a black iri ni meke print.

She says their print is part of their five-year goal, where they decided to stick to earthy tones this year and hopefully experiment with other colours next year.

The 41-year-old says her journey has been long, where she has learned from her mistakes, appreciating art and culture and then finding her place in helping to keep it alive.

Originally from Vaturava in Cakaudrove, Vanua Levu, she is also connected to Ono-i-Lau through her stepfather and shares maternal links with Vabea, Ono, in Kadavu.

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She says her background is reflected in her design.

Samuel says she started playing around with dress styles because she did not want to wear Sulu jaba when she was younger, but it has grown into something she loves.

The designer says she loves making something that makes somebody feel beautiful.

Samuel is married with seven children.

Two of her daughters are also models and walked for her this year at Fiji Fashion Week.

She says her label, Lavalani, is named after her daughters Lava and Lani.

Samuel hopes to become an internationally recognised label that is proudly Fijian.

Other notable winners of the night included Shane Samuel Laboriel Pickering for Women's Wear Designer of the Year while Temesia.Co won Men's Designer of the Year.

Rosie Semisi won the Sustainable Impact Design Award with her collection titled, Bubu, made from upcycled materials.

Aisake (AJ) Walesi won the Male Model of the Year Award, while Anaseini Loiloi, who has been selected to work in Sydney, won Female Model of the Year.

Natabua High School students Veronica Leilani and Barbara Naitoko won first and second place respectively, and Moiz Altaf from Marist Brothers High School, and part of their first Home Economics class, won third place in the Student Designer Show.

Other designers featured in last night's Resort Luxe Show were Tracey Ann Farrington, Jadeine Whiteside, Cherish Prasad, Sunia and Vere Tubuna of Niurua Creatives, Rosie Emberson Semisi of RES Fiji, Helen Oro of Helen Oro Designs, Robert Kennedy of Robert Kennedy Fiji, Hupfeld Hoerder of Hupfeld Hoerder Designs, French designer Helen Coudret with her label Keatiki and Anton Conway Wye.