A high tea and fashion show was held in Port Moresby on 10 August 2018 as part of the PNG Fashion Festival under the theme ‘Building Partnerships for the Future.’
The event, hosted by PNG Fashion and Design Week, staged a fashion show exhibiting the collections of three local designers, with live music and cultural performances.
In addition to bringing together key fashion industry stakeholders and influencers, the event aimed to promote partnerships and international support for Papua New Guinea’s cultural and creative industries.
Director of PNG Fashion and Design Week, Janet Sios, said the high tea and fashion show is one of the key events of the PNG Fashion Festival which was launched on 17 July 2018.
“The event aligns with our festival goals of creating an ecosystem that encourages the growth of the cultural and creative industry in Papua New Guinea and supporting the emergence of creative entrepreneurs,” said Ms Sios.
Dr Chakriya Bowman, Economic Counsellor from the Australian High Commission, said Australia is a proud supporter of the PNG Fashion Festival because of the industry’s creative and cultural potential.
“The exciting thing about partnering with PNG Fashion and Design Week is the ability to take the best of Papua New Guinea – the creative arts and its spirit and uniqueness – and spread it not just across the country, but around the world,” Dr Bowman said.
“Through our entrepreneurship program we are keen to educate Papua New Guinean artists, particularly fashion designers, on how to make money from their art. This includes financial literacy, accounting, digital marketing and how to showcase designs overseas,” Dr Bowman said.
The PNG Fashion Festival is supported by the Australian Government in collaboration with PNG Fashion and Design Week through the Economic Governance and Inclusive Growth Partnership.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100
Australian High Commission Counsellor Economics Dr Chakriya Bowman, PNG Fashion & Design Week Director Janet Sios, and guest speaker from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Leituala Kuiniselani Toelupe Tago-Elisara.