Thirty-nine-year-old Pita Matakiviwa of Nabukadra Village, Nakorotubu in Ra wanted to stand on his own and start his own business after discovering his love for tailoring and garment design.
While working at a garment factory for over 16 years at Danam (Fiji) Ltd in Lautoka did come with the experience and skills of tailoring, working for others did not bring him the personal fulfillment he sought and that was to have his own tailoring business.
Mr Matakiviwa decided to upskill his passion for tailoring that he decided to further his skills and do a course in Fashion and Design with the Australian Pacific Training Coalition (APTC).
Despite limited resources and opportunities, he constantly pushed himself to deliver the best to his growing clientele.
This dedication earned him a reputation as a talented tailor, setting the foundation for his future success.
Today his business Matakiviwa Tailoring is operating from the Level1 de Vos on the Park Building in Suva, since 2022, specialising in dresses, men’s shirt, sulu, jiaba, uniforms, ball gowns and group attires and wedding gowns as well as children’s wear made from masi.
“Many of my customers are not just locals, they are mainly from overseas countries in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand,” Mr Matakiviwa said.
“They are far away from this country and to connect with them on my business page with the orders I’m receiving from overseas for my tailoring and garment designs, it just amazes me.”
Starting his first ever business at the old flea market in Suva before that building burned down in 2009, Mr Matakiviwa begun to look for a new spot for his tailoring business within Suva area.
He took some time off and with $3200 he had in savings, he was able to find a space right in the heart of Suva.
“I ended up finding this place,” Mr Matakiviwa said when The Fiji Times caught up with him at his spot in de Vos on the Park.
“This was the old YWCA building and now it’s known as the de Vos building right next to the Sukuna Park here in Suva.
“This was the perfect place to begin my business running again and it has been busy ever since.”
Mr Matakiviwa aimed to become financially independent and a self-reliant member of the community even though he did struggle in the past.
He kept exploring his options until he came across a representative of the iTaukei Trust Fund Board(TTFB) who introduced him to the extensive range of lending products that they had that were tailor-made to support self-starters like him.
” I found the TTFB loan suited my needs at the time and immediately applied for my first loan and that is how my business is rolling well today.
“I couldn’t have found a better partner to help me through my hard times than TTFB and I would like to encourage young indigenous business owners like me who are struggling with their business to look at options that are available.
“It can unexpectedly help your business grow to some extent.”
While he is grateful for the remarkable change in his business, he understood the value of building strong relationships with clients.
He prioritised customer satisfaction, ensuring that every order received the utmost care and attention. By consistently delivering on promises and exceeding expectations, Matakiviwa Tailoring has earned a loyal customer base with clients in Fiji and abroad.
“If you a customer that likes to order your clothing from a tailor, you will know these days the change in how there is a high demand in this industry to get your clothing materials done on time because based on information from my clients, they have trouble sorting things out with a tailor to have their materials sewn in time sometimes because most tailors are fully booked everywhere and we have too many orders of our own to work on.
“This is such a growing business that I have targets and made sure I reach my targets and to always deliver on time with my clients, especially when it comes to group orders for kalavata.
“If I know that I won’t be able to complete their desired design on time, I have to be upfront and be honest with them.
“My work begins at 6am right till 7pm. Every day I will try to finish eight pieces of designs whether it be sulu, men’s shirt, jiaba or kalavata. Eight a day is enough for me for my set target.”
Mr Matakiviwa’s journey, from his 16 years of experience as a garment factory worker to owning a thriving tailoring business serves as an inspiration to many young people and aspiring entrepreneurs.
He built a business that has stood the test of time.
His 20 years journey is a reflection that with hard work, determination and with the right mindset, anyone can turn their dreams into reality.
If you’re looking for something stylist to wear you can check out Matakiviwa tailoring facebook page and visit level one of the de Vos in the Park building at Suva.
Mr Matakiviwa’s price range is between $10 for children’s wear and $35 for women’s sulu jiaba. Men’s shirt starts from as low as $25.
Pita Matakiviwa, owner of Matakiviwa Tailoring takes measurements for a client. Picture: MEREANI VOLAU
