In the 1980s, one of Fiji’s biggest annual social events was the glamourous Hibiscus Festival party. This was a time when Suva’s crème de la crème came out in their best outfit, most of which were put together especially for the occasion and especially to impress, if not kill.
Then, the local fashion scene was dictated by style icons like Anna Sweetman and Tanya Whiteside and a budding generation of young models, designers and fashionistas.
But some believe, the fashion and glamour party culture had existed in Fiji even before independence, during the colonial days when there were balls and prestigious events that have given way to today’s cocktail parties and glamour night dos.
Three boutiques for women were particularly popular during the colonial days of the 50s and 60s.
They were Jean Carol’s, Chez Liz, and Tiki Togs, the latter pioneering the use of local themes in their prints and designs.
There were Suva-based tailors too. These dressmakers and boutiques kept the people of Fiji fashion-relevant and modestly dressed.
In 1996, something happened that shaped the party and fashion scene.
The Red Crossorganised fashion awards began and it became the “it” event of the year, where apart from raising funds for charity, people rubbed shoulders in their best looks. Many of the today’s established and successful designers and retired models came through the Red Cross fashion awards. But during the colonial days, the Garden Party was the biggest social gathering of ‘who’s who’ in Fiji.
Today’s younger generations would not know the event was held at Government House’s main lawn around mid-year to commemorate the Queen’s Birthday on June 12. Unlike today, when one could dress to kill at cocktails that happen almost every second evening, the Garden Party was the most looked-foward-to and extravagant event of the year.
According to history literature, on September 1, 1939, Governor Sir Harry Luke planned to host his first Garden Party at Government House to coincide with the opening of the Legislative Council and the arrival of the warship H.M.S. Leander.
The ship was responsible for bringing in heavy equipment that helped establish the country’s gun sites to guard Fiji’s major passages in Suva and Nadi.
When September 1 came, Sir Harry’s garden party took place as scheduled but preparations were disturbed by intermittent rain. “As we are still technically at peace, my Garden Party is coming off, but no sooner was that doubt laid then another started in the shape of the weather…,” Sir Luke noted in his diary, “…twice between 2.30pm and 3.30pm, had we to have all the tables taken indoors and brought out again.”
That was not the only time when preparation for the Garden Party was a bit ‘disturbed’.
In 1962, when Sir Kenneth Maddocks was governor, cakes for the event had to be put inside the Colonial War Memorial Hospital mortuary to keep them fresh for the party.
It was possible those who attended the party did not have a clue that the toothsome cakes and pastries they were having had spent time inside the morgue.
The rather quirky story was revealed 11 years later in The Fiji Times (1973) during an interview with former private secretary, Tusha Keith-Reid, who worked under three Governors and two GovernorGenerals. On Monday, June 12, 1967, The Fiji Times reported that the Garden Party hosted by Governor Derek Jakeway featured “Suva’s latest fashions”.
That year, the governor and Lady Jakeway received 950 guests, made up of the biggest names in town.
Two years earlier, on Monday, June 12, 1965, Sir Derek “shook hands with more than 850 guests.” “At one stage, the queue of guests waiting to be received stretched along the drive to the foot of the hill on which Government Houses stands,” The Fiji Times reported.
After guests were received, they passed down the terrace steps to the lower lawn, where tea was served.
At sunset, the police band beat retreat, a tradition which marked the ceasure of fighting and the returning of troops to the camp.
“With impeccable precision, they marched and counter-marched on the lower lawn to form up finally facing the flag pole behind which the Governor stood,” said The Fiji Times.
As the flag was lowered the band played God Save the Queen. Entertainment, food and fashion were the highlights of the Garden Party.
The women dressed to the nines. In June 1958, more than 400 people, of all races, attended the Garden Party of that year.
The Fiji Times covered the event but this time focused on how women in bright colours turned up at the immaculate green of the Government House lawns.
Afternoon tea, sandwiches and cakes were served in two large marquees and also from tables set about the grounds. After receiving their guests in the vestibule of Government House, Sir Ronald Garvey walked down to the marquees and mingled with guests on the lawns.
The Fiji Times reported that Lady Garvey wore a “svelte fitting frock in shades of blue, green and grey” while Mrs H.M.Scott wore a dress of “white material patterned in a black lace effect, with white hat, gloves, bag and black shoes”.
The descriptions indicate that fashion and style was a huge part of the party. The Fiji Times went to describe Mrs J.Falvey’s “chartreuse suit” made on chemise lines.
She also wore a small hat “swathed in shell fawn net – her accessories white”.
“Shell pink shantung” was the material chosen by Lady Ragg. She wore a “cartwheel hat of dove grey crushed crinoline with a spray of shell pink roses”. Her shoes and handbag were in “matching orchid pink”.
A fawn beige embossed lace frock was worn by Mrs A.D.Leys. Her hat was of black straw with a spray of rose and her accessories were matching. Mrs F.Gatty wore a pearl pink sheath gown, finely pintucked over all with delicate lace edgings. Her large picture hat was black while her black high-heeled sandals were ornamented with a large rose on each.
“Mrs B.Jannif came out in a sari of palest blue, with an uncommon hand-painted flower design. A glad sari pin held her sari on her hair. She wore a pale blue blouse,” The Fiji Times reported.
All the way from Taveuni, Mrs W.G.Halstead, wore a dark navy allover fringed silk coat, on princess lines, over a deep cream lace sheath. Her white coat scuttle had a spray of white flowers across the front of the brim.
The attractive pink georgette sari worn by Mrs K.D.Bhasin was ornamented with the most unusual embroidery known as Jaipur, because it was made only in that state.
She wore a green blouse, black sandals and ruby earrings. Mrs V.Costello’s frock was in a ‘shade of iris mauve with a white’.
In June 1971, the first Governor-General after independence Sir Robert Foster and Lady Forster were accompanied to the Garden Party on the main lawn by a cute and furry friend – a black Government House pet dog.
Some 500 guests attended the party that year.
“As usual, it was an occasion for women guests to show off the latest fashions,” The Fiji Times noted. “Garb ranged from midis and minis to richly embroidered saris and sulu.”
On June 11, 1977, The Fiji Times ran a story about, Iverna McCaig, who had been a regular guest of the Garden Party since 1934.
“In those days, one felt very special just to drive up to the big gracious building with one’s prettiest frock on, bought just for the occasion,” she told this newspaper.
“Women and men in those days were much more formal and etiquette was seen to be very important.”
“A hat and gloves were part of one’s clothes and one always felt that to go dressed up was to really contribute to the one world charm of Government House.”
The young were often in uniform and their job was to look after everyone to see they were comfortable and had enough to eat and drink.
“Everyone was so excited at the garden party,” Ms McCaig said. In 1977, about 800 people were invited to attend the Garden Party.
The exact date when the annual Garden Party started at Government Houses is not clear. What is clear is that the current compound of Government House had started being the residence of the colonial Governors of Fiji in since 1892.
The compound was called Korobaba (meaning village on the hill). In 1926 the construction of a new Government House, which still stands today, started.
It replaced the one that was destroyed in a fire caused after a lightning strike at around 1.55pm on March 21, 1921. On April 10, 1928, The Whan Construction Company completed the building designed by the then government architect, Ludolph.
Sir Eyre Hutson was the first Governor to reside at the current Government House when he moved in on April 14, 1928.
Government House was influenced by Georgian architecture, a style of building in England between 1714 and 1830 during the reign of the monarchs of the House of Hannover like Kings George I, II, III and IV. In 1970, when Fiji gained independence, Government House became the official residence of the Governor General until 1987.
Today, the 1928-built Government House is the official home of the President of the Republic of Fiji.
