Designer clear on reason for success

By ANGELA GREGORY

Fa'afafine fashion diva Lindah Lepou credits the fact she has balls for her clothing design success story.

Lepou, who trades under the name Lindah E, yesterday spoke at Thrive Pasifika, a showcase of winning Pacific Island businesses and individuals held at the Auckland Town Hall.

Wellington born but Samoan raised, Lepou said good fashion came from thinking laterally.

"The beauty of being fa'afafine is that I have the balls to step outside my box," she told the audience to loud applause and laughter.

Lepou said it also meant she could bring together her male and female sides, and was not afraid of being herself.

Her womenswear label "denciumcompri" meant the beginning and end, a circle of life that was continually evolving, she said.

Lepou has shown both locally and internationally, creating interest from America and has worked on projects for Sebastian Inc, a hair care and cosmetic company serving the salon beauty industry whose clients include Mick Jagger and Paula Abdul.

Lepou put on a short fashion show at the Town Hall, which included feminine draping gowns, dresses and skirts with fun, frilly and flouncy details and included two fa'afafine among the models.

Multi-talented, she has also been offered a record deal with an international producer.

Other Pacific Islanders also shared their messages of determination and effort, including District Court Judge Semi Epati.

Judge Epati, the first Pacific Island judge in New Zealand, said the call to the bench in 2002 had come out of the blue.

The former barrister, Pacific advocate and High Chief from Falealupo credited advice from the Samoan grandfather who raised him to always do his best, for his success.

Judge Epati said he enjoyed being a judge, but missed partying and enjoying a beer at his local.

He had served in the Attorney-General's Office in Samoa before moving into private practice in 1977 in Samoa and then New Zealand.

A former President of the Western Samoa Law Society, Judge Epati was appointed a Temporary Magistrate in Samoa for six months in 1986, and served as Attorney-General of the Government of Niue from 1995 to 1996.

Linking in with the motivational speakers was a trade expo held inside the Town Hall for Pacific businesses to promote their companies, and an education expo at the Aotea Centre to promote a wide range of career options to Pacific Island students.

Within the next 20 years the Pacific working-age population is estimated to increase by 65 per cent (from 153,000 to 252,000) to make up 8 per cent of the total working-age New Zealanders, the majority in Auckland.

By 2016 almost half of New Zealand students would identify as being of Maori, Pacific or Asian descent.

Jim Anderton, the Minister for Economic, Industry and Regional Development, closed the Thrive Pasifika conference saying the talents and successes of Pacific people would determine the success of New Zealand.

Mr Anderton said in two generations the Pacific population in New Zealand would be more than 600,000, a 40 per cent increase from today, and one in five children would be of Pacific descent.

At Thrive Pasifika

Nathaniel Lees - award-winning actor and theatre director with recent roles in The Matrix Revolutions and Lord of the Rings.

Isaac Tuhega - established the New Lynn Building Centre in 1985. A director of Habitat for Humanity and last year won the 2003 Pacific Business of the Year Award.

Neil Ieremia - choreographer and founder of Black Grace. Created the concepts behind New Works and Urban Youth Movement. Choreographic commissions include for the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Danny Leaosavaii - co-founder of Dawn Raid music and clothing label.

Pat Lam - former Manu Samoa captain and this year named Auckland National Provincial Championships rugby coach for the next two seasons. The former Auckland and All Black loose forward was assistant coach with Scotland at last year's World Cup.

Murray Thom - managing director of CBS Records New Zealand. Won the government tender in 1987 to introduce personalised number plates to New Zealand.

Esther Tofilau - only Pacific Island woman body-building judge in New Zealand, founded the Pacific Island Body-Builders Association in 1997 which runs an annual body-building show.

Linda Vagana - played 61 tests for the Silver Ferns in a career of more than 14 years. Has since coached the Samoan under-21 side and has accepted a position as manager with Books in Homes.

Mike Pero - won the Pacific Business Person of the Year Award in 2003. The Cook Island entrepreneur owned and managed one of New Zealand's largest mortgage broker business - Mike Pero Mortgages - until earlier this year. He has a 25 per cent stake in Origin Pacific.