Fashion in Mauritius

Though many people may associate the term Fashion with clothing only, it refers to shoes and accessories as well. A small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is not a fashion superpower like Paris, New York or London but it has got a style of its own very appropriate to the climate prevailing on the island. As the importance of fashion increases in the world, Mauritius finds itself having to move with the same wind of change so as not to be left behind. There are not many designers on the island though Lida O’Reilly is very well known for her dresses in many parts of the world. The textile industry has been one of the main pillars of the Mauritian economy for 30 years and progress has been made on the island largely with the money that this industry brings. The exports are mainly towards the USA and Europe with internationally known products like Hugo Boss; these are then sold in other famous malls such as Harrods, Galleries LaFayette, The Gap etc. Since Mauritius is already well known for its textile industry there is potential for it to develop into a fashion house too in the future as is reflected in the case of new areas emerging as fashion spots such as Japan and Mumbai. Characteristic of the island is the hot environment; in this respect, for the ease and comfort of the people, a lot of cotton is used to make clothes. They are usually brightly coloured with flowery designs giving them an island air. Clothes worn on the island are usually very light and when tourists are packing for their vacations to Mauritius, swim wear is not to be forgotten (don’t forget your designer shorts, suits, sun glasses and bags to show off!) and light clothing. Winters are not very cold so long sleeved shirts and pulls are enough. However when visiting religious places, decent clothing must be worn as a sign of respect. As far as jewellery is concerned, a broad range can be seen on the island going from gold to silver to platinum and various precious stones. Because Mauritius is a multi cultural place, the different ethnic groups on the island are usually seen wearing their traditional clothing such as the churidars worn by the Indians or the jilbabs and hijabs worn by the muslims; amongst the teenagers it is quite common to see them exhibiting their styles like rock, punk etc. Mauritius finds itself in a state of transition moving into the modern world. This is also seen in the fashion industry with new emerging talents, more courses on fashion and more investment into modern technology. Mauritian entrepreneurs are highly encouraged by the government to indulge in their creativity and go forward with their ideas.