LONG before clothing stores lined Fiji’s towns and ready-made garments became easily available, people on Taveuni relied on the skilled hands of a tailor to stitch everything from coats and shirts to ceremonial attire.

That tailor was Dayaram Fakir, whose craftsmanship would eventually lay the foundation for what is now Meridian Store.

According to Meridian Store managing director Champak Lal Dayaram, his grandfather arrived on Taveuni as a professional tailor at a time when the island was still developing and access to clothing was limited.

“My grandfather, Dayaram Fakir, was a tailor by trade,” Mr Dayaram said.

“He specialised in making coats.”

When Dayaram Fakir settled on Taveuni, Wairiki was the centre of activity on the island because of the Catholic Mission.

The mission attracted people from different parts of Fiji and overseas, making the area a busy hub for worship, trade and administration.

“At the time, Wairiki was the centre because of the Catholic Mission,” Mr Dayaram said.

“My grandfather was here because he also provided services to the missionaries.”

His tailoring skills quickly became sought after by a wide range of customers.

“There was a demand for clothing from the chiefs, colonial officials, missionaries and the Girmit descendants who were already living here.”

Mr Dayaram said travelling to Levuka or Suva to have clothes made was neither practical nor affordable for many island residents.

In those days, a trip by boat could take several days, depending on the weather and sea conditions.

“There was a real need for tailoring services,” he said.

Instead of making the long journey, people turned to the local tailor, who could produce clothing suited to both everyday life and important occasions.

As Christianity spread throughout Taveuni, clothing became an increasingly important part of community life.

Church services, weddings and traditional gatherings encouraged people to dress more formally than they had in previous generations.

“The missionaries encouraged people to dress well for church, and that created more demand,” Mr Dayaram said.

He believes his grandfather’s work went beyond simply sewing garments.

By introducing new tailoring techniques and clothing styles, he helped influence the way many people on the island dressed.

“Perhaps that was also when the sulu vakataga with pockets became more common as new styles were introduced.”

While there is no written record identifying exactly who first designed the pocketed sulu vakataga, Mr Dayaram believes local tailoring helped popularise practical improvements that reflected the changing needs of customers.

Demand for clothing continued to grow as more people settled on the island.

Chiefs required formal attire for traditional ceremonies.

Missionaries needed suitable clothing for church work.

Colonial officials expected well-made garments for official duties.

Families also wanted clothing for weddings, funerals and other important events.

Every garment was measured, cut and sewn by hand.

There were no factories producing ready-made clothing, making the skills of a tailor both valuable and respected.

As the business expanded, customers began asking for more than tailoring services.

“They wanted fabric to make clothes and purchased sulus for special occasions.”

To meet that demand, the business gradually introduced drapery, allowing customers to buy materials for garments while continuing to have clothing tailored locally.

The expansion reflected changing lifestyles on Taveuni as more families sought greater choice in the fabrics and styles they wore.

Over time, the business diversified even further by introducing groceries to serve the growing community.

Although the range of products expanded, tailoring remained at the heart of the family’s story.

Mr Dayaram said the tailoring business also brought people together.

Customers often travelled from different parts of the island to place orders, collect garments and discuss new designs.

It became a place where people exchanged stories, news and ideas while waiting for clothes to be completed.

The business also adapted to the needs of farmers. Many sold copra and other produce before purchasing fabric, clothing or household necessities.

“We gave many customers small accounts so they could pay us after selling their crops,” Mr Dayaram said.

He said those arrangements were based on trust rather than paperwork.

That trust strengthened the relationship between the business and farming communities across Taveuni.

Looking back, Mr Dayaram believes his grandfather’s greatest achievement was not simply opening a tailoring shop.

It was helping meet an important need at a time when clothing was difficult to obtain and skilled tailors were few.

His work allowed island residents to access quality clothing without making long and costly sea journeys to larger towns.

From stitching coats for chiefs and missionaries to making garments for ordinary families, Dayaram Fakir’s craftsmanship became woven into the history of Taveuni.

His tailoring skills introduced new styles, supported changing fashions and helped shape the way generations of island residents dressed.

Today, Mr Dayaram said the family’s journey remains a reminder that every successful business begins by meeting the needs of the community it serves.

“Our grandfather started by serving people. Everything else grew from there.”