EXCLUSIVITY seems to be the in-thing these days when it comes to accessories and ornaments.


The affluent are willing to fork out good money in return for exclusivity in what they wear to parties and what they place in their homes.

But for a country like Fiji, that can prove to be a challenge because people basically buy from the same shops.

For those with a nose for uniqueness, there is still hope yet.

Take a stroll through Palm Court, on Victoria Arcade, in Suva, and you will strike it lucky because there are two shops there sell exquisite accessories and more.

Open sesame, and, voila, youre in Aladdins Cave. It really is a treasure trove of anything and everything from here, there and everywhere.

Owned by the OConnor family, the shop is bold in the truest sense, with products in an array of colours on display.

Elsie Greig is whom youll normally see in the shop and she knows the origins of each item.

“The shop was initially supposed to be a jewellry shop but we added other ornaments and stuff and we ended up with all this,” she said with a sweep of her hands.

“The shop is two months old now and the idea was for us to sell ethnic looking jewellry but then we got things that had a catchy look to it and it expanded to what it is.

“Products are brought in from Indonesia, India, Vietnam, South America, South Africa and other places.”

The products range from necklaces, rings, bracelets, mats, furniture, garden slabs and accessories, candles, purses, cushions, bed spreads and blankets, sun catchers and dream catchers to name a few.

The choice of colours was cousin Elaines doing and a good portion of the jewellry displayed are Elaines original designs as well.

She makes sure no two designs are the same the exclusivity.

Elsie said when they opened two months ago, most of the stuff went like hotcakes and the empty hooks on the ceiling where the sun catchers used to hang and spaces on the shelves is proof of just that.

If you do get to visit this shop, make sure you get Elsie to show you the lovely olive table she uses as a counter.

Directly across the courtyard in Palm Court is another shop selling products along the same line.

Cascade Bookshop is owned by Mela Vusoniwailala and is a Christian bookshop. Apart from books and CDs, there is an assortment of products available.

Mrs Vusoniwailala was away overseas when we visited but Olivia Tawake, who looks after the shop, said it was mostly young people buying their other products like scarves, jewellry, wall mirrors and the like.

“Most buy it for gifts for family or friends. The products are mostly from Indonesia. Some have decided to go for the unusual furniture some of which has been carved but have maintain their natural form.

“With the scarves a hit was the beaded ones which were quickly snapped up.” There is a range of sarongs that are a hit because of the colours and designs.

Olivia said with Christmas knocking, people had already started buying gifts for family and friends.

The shop has a following because it can order books and CDs.

The other exclusive outlet is The Palace of Petals, on the corner of Ellery Street and Renwick Road. Owned by Noelene Yap, products there are similar to those in Aladdins Cave but this shop like its name is first and foremost a flower shop before Ms Yap decided to branch out into jewellry, furniture and accessories.

Since she is away overseas, the shop is entrusted to Asenaca Viala, who said they had been operating for four years.

“Noelene gets all the jewellry, ornaments and furniture from every country she travels to but she only gets a single piece of a certain design,” she said.

Asenaca said people of all ages bought products there.

She said the shop never wanted for customers as many people returned regularly to check what was new in the store.