Polynesian fashion

French Polynesian islands might be small and remote, it hasn’t discouraged its population from developing an acute sense of fashion. From what our ancestors used to wear to today’s thriving fashion scene, we take you on a journey through time to discover the history of Polynesian fashion.

Ancient Tahiti

           You might wonder what the inhabitants of today’s French Polynesia used to wear way back in the days, before they were discovered by European settlers. At that time, it was all about tapa.

 Tapa is natural fiber that results from the bark of a tree being carefully beaten down until smoothen into a wearable piece of fabric. On a day to day basis, it could be used in its natural color without ornaments or it could be dyed and/or imprinted with leaves, flowers and hand-drawn Polynesian symbols.

This rough textile was worn by men and women, wrapped around the hips, to cover the lower part of their body —what is known today as pareu. Every once in a while, tapa would be worn as a poncho (tiputa) for men and as a shawl (‘ahufara) for women.

Accessories were diverse and, most often than not, indicated the social status of the wearer. Headpieces, fans, belts, jewelry and more were made with materials such as feathers, woven natural fibers, seashells, etc. As for tattoos, although their primary purpose wasn’t to be a fashion statement, they were considered highly aesthetic and would add to the attractiveness of the wearer.

The missionaries

           Everything took a sharp turn when the first Europeans arrived in the South Pacific in the late XIXth century and discovered, in shock, the revealing attires Polynesians would wear. As part of their mission to convert the local population to catholicism, the missionaries imposed a strict dresscode onto them.

 Instead of their light pareu, women now had to wear ample dresses that covered all the way to their ankles, wrists and neck. Ironically, these so-called missionary dresses came back in fashion years later and remain, today, a symbol of Polynesian elegance.

As for men, their light maro was replaced by the conventional European attire: a pair of long pants and long-sleeved shirts.

This modest fashion also brought about the invention of the very first Polynesian hats, made out of finely woven pandanus tree leaves (pae’ore). These soon became a symbol of the Polynesian identity. They are still proudly worn today as the most important element of the Sunday church attire.

La Belle époque

           By the 1960s, Polynesians had integrated catholicism into their day-to-day lives, they had assimilated a bit of the Western culture along the way, and they had realized, thanks in part to tourism, that their Polynesian heritage was worth preserving.

 The so-called Belle époque was a wealthy and festive period of time in Tahitian history, one filled with opulent parties in which dressing up was all part of the fun. At that time, a few skilled dressmakers such as Augustine and Marie Ah You started making a name for themselves. They dressed wealthy Polynesian women, beauty pageant winners, and even foreign celebrities.

They are responsible for creating what is considered today the very staples of Polynesian fashion: the Pomare dress (a new version of the missionary dress), the purotu dress (a more seaming version of the Pomare dress), the mumu dress (a sort of babydoll dress), etc. The fabrics used, whether for men’s shirts or for women’s dresses, were light, colorful and displayed funky floral patterns.

 Alongside with these attires worn for special occasions, a more simple kind of Polynesian street fashion started emerging: light and colorful pareu made out of cotton, flowers in the hair, Tahitian black pearl jewelry, simply woven pae’ore bags for market days, etc.

Polynesian fashion today

           La Belle époque really opened the door for Polynesians to express their identity through fashion. Polynesian fashion is deeply rooted in what is historically identifiable as Polynesian while drawing its inspiration from international trends.

 For the past 15 years or so, there has been an explosion of Polynesian designers, creating their small brands in clothing, jewelry, and more. As an evidence of that, each year, a growing number of local brands, new or long-established, participate in the Tahiti Fashion Week event.

 Probably the most significant evolution from La Belle époque is that designers are now able to keep the creative process within their hands while exporting production to countries where it can be produced in larger quantities for a smaller price. As a result, the offer is more diverse and affordable so that more and more Polynesians proudly choose to wear local brands on a day-to-day basis. Bikinis, surf-shorts, hats, t-shirts, beach towels, purses, evening and day-to-day dresses, formal shirts, footwear, you name it.

The Polynesian fashion scene is thriving and we are all loving it!

Written by Pauline Sillinger