Going bananas over fashion show

• Published date: 25 May 2023
• Publication title: Guardian, The

But he might

Both men are modelling Musa Fabric garments at the Flores de Musa fashion show in Palmerston North on Saturday.

They and their wives, Meriam Findlay and Michelle Smith, are four of 30 models/advocates taking part in House of Musa New Zealand’s launch.

Musa Fabric was launched in 2020 by Filipino accountant and fashion designer Joy Soo. Waste banana fibre and threads such as cotton or silk are handwoven to create fabric.

Musa is the scientific name for banana and Musa Fabric provides employment for indigenous people and prisoners in Davao del Norte, the banana capital of the Philippines.

At the second workshop last Saturday, catwalk coach Raine Symons guided the models/advocates through slowly rotating so everyone in the audience gets a good view of what they are wearing.

They will also need to pose for three photographers on the big night. The hips know what to do — don’t try to control them, Symons said.

The fashion show is organised by Palmerston North insurance and mortgage adviser Carmela Evora-Laylo. Originally from the Philippines, she is also the chief executive of House of Musa New Zealand.

While many of the models/advocates are from the Filipino community, also taking part are Basia McIntosh, originally from Poland, and the chairwoman of the Palmerston North branch of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Ramola Duncan.

One of the models is Kendall Abais. “I like walking down the runway and strutting my stuff,” she says.

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