BY CAROL-ANNE GALO
IT is not every day that you come across or hear about very talented young females getting into ‘Fashion Designing’, especially in the Pacific.
Born and raised a Seventh Day Adventist, 21-year-old Lyan Tingiia, a local who has only recently come back from the ‘Pacific Island Festival’ in the United Kingdom (UK), has proved this wrong.
Recognizing her exquisite talent after designing the Miss South Pacific’s Crown last year which made International news, the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) and the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SICCI) joined forces to raise money for the local fashion designer to attend the ‘Pacific Island Festival’ with fashion regards.
Young fashion designer, Ms. Lyan Tingiia, after Solomon Airlines and the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB), announced a new Memorandum of Understanding that sees the Airline and Bureau working together to advertise and promote the Solomon Islands overseas and having the notice of aggressive market tourism in the country and overseas.
The partnership formed early this year by both parties was solely aimed at maximizing visibility while keeping costs to a minimum as the agreement paved the way for SIVB to travel to approve travel shows beyond the region and to have more exposure both for others into the country and out.
“My travel expenses were not fully supported by those that promised, so partial contributions were done by my family and relatives and others out of their good hearts. Then, Lence Tango was still our Premier, and just ten minutes before boarding he arrived to give me extra pocket money to help me out just in case, but still, I am very thankful for the extra effort provided into fundraising for me to get to the Fashion Festival.
“What I found stressful was that I went alone, I’m okay with traveling, but having to attend such an event, it was obvious other fashion designers came with their Managers and Models and I didn’t have any of such.
“Despite the cold weather at the time, I was full-on sweating due to the pressure I was undergoing. Other models helped me out with modeling the clothes for me, so that was a relief at that point.
“The lady in the committee here organized to help with accommodations had just come out of a stroke and was still recovering at the time, and I was not aware of that during my 3-day travel over.
“Gloria Naivunivuni, the only part Solomon Islander attendant of the Festival requested to accommodate me when she heard of the slight disruption of plans.
“She’s actually a family friend and was my Vocalist trainer whilst my family and I were in Fiji, and I am very thankful to her as well. Both she and Stan Sigawale helped me out so much during my stay and the Fijian Community based there as well made sure I was comfortable,” she explained.
Ms. Lyan Tingiia, had 5 Finale Dresses (The highest for a Finale) and 3 Finale Male shirts to add. She comes from a very sacrificial and committed family. Her father and two other siblings are all studying in the Philippines and are all self-sponsored.
Ms. Tingiia was accepted to do her first Degree at a Fashion Institute but seeing the struggle her family had to put up with self-sponsoring her other family members, she took the initiative, very few young girls her age these days would probably not do turned it down and decided to come back to the Solomon Islands after staying in Fiji and decided to help her mother, Mrs. Janet Tingiia, take the passion of sewing and designing she inherited to a whole other level.
Mother of Lyan, Mrs. Janet Tingiia recognized her child’s potential at a very young stage and has nurtured her strengths into taking her to further heights.
She is proud and supportive of the success and spotlights her daughter has made for herself and is always willingly there to back her up wherever she can and stresses the interest of young potential people to venture out.
“I learned a lot during the festival. The Solomon Islands has such a rich and diverse atmosphere of culture, and all my work and displays during the show reflect all races in the Solomon Islands, as I have blended the clothes I designed all possessing the traits of Micronesian, Polynesian, and Melanesian styles.
“As first and foremost, I would like to acknowledge the goodness and talent God has given me, my family for their undying support, and the many others who have contributed to my success and recognize my potential in this field as a very young person.
“I have sacrificed my educational opportunities to help my family, as I am still very young and many opportunities and avenues are still available for me.
“I’d like to see others who too might have the same potential whether in the same interest or not, to always dream big and never give up, as challenges are the force and drive behind dreams, and every successful person regardless of age or status.
“Make use of the God-Given talents you possess, take heed of the advice given to you at whatever stages in life, and recognize your potential and work to build on it whilst at a young age.”
Whilst at the festival, Ms. Lyan Tingiia was verbally (not formally) promised to be invited to another similar event of its kind in London and New Zealand. She opted and was pleased that the Government has realized the importance of Culture and Tourism and hopes to be fully sponsored this time if plans do eventuate.
