Beauty & fashion workshops courtesy of ‘le Taupou Manaia’

Free workshops on fashion and designing, hair and makeup plus a model casting session will be offered on island courtesy of Le Taupou Manaia.

The academy which is celebrating 25 years in July, is offering the workshops as part of the lead up to their anniversary event.

Founder Tuifaasisina Korina Seiuli Lee says Taupou Manaia is bringing in two Pacific islanders who have made it big in the United States to conduct the workshops.

They are fashion designer Afa Ah Loo and Hair and Beauty Artist Benjamin Powell.

Afa Ah Loo, a self taught fashion designer from Samoa, now based in Utah, is one of the founders of the Utah Pacific Fashion. He made history as the first Samoan designer on Project Runway, helping pave the way for more Pacific island talent to enter the global fashion arena.

He is a sought after designer in prestigious fashion events from Los Angeles to Fiji , and New Zealand.

Powell is Managing Creative Director for Landis Lifestyle Aveda Salons in Salt Lake City. Before that he was Regional Director for Paul Mitchell the School. He also worked for Regis Corporation a fortune 500 company and was Regional Director for salons for the company in the San Francisco Market.

The Fashion and Designing workshop takes place this coming Saturday, March 16 at the DWYA Center in Tafuna from 9am to 11 am. The model casting follows at the same venue from 12 pm to 3pm Saturday. Next Monday, March 18 is the Hair and Makeup Workshop at the DWYA Building Tafuna from 4:30 pm to 7 pm.

For Taupou Manaia’s 25th anniversary celebration in July, there’ll be an upscale fashion show, for which 10 designers, both local and off island have signed up.

Tuifaasisina said this was made possible by all of our partners, sponsors, Lē Taupou Manaia Alumni, Lē Taupou Manaia parents and volunteers. “And we are grateful for the endless support from our community.”