PNG Fashion Week

Lending her support to PNG Fashion Week this year, Ellen Whippy-Knight, Founder and Managing Director of Fiji Fashion Week was a guest speaker at the “Awakening”.

Whippy-Knight has been instrumental in the fashion industry in Fiji and the Pacific, creating epic platforms that have positively impacted the Fijian economy and the Pacific. As a pioneer, she has paved the way for many Pacific Island countries to create powerful platforms that stimulate economic activity and industry.

The week begins with the official launch on Monday at the Vision City Mega Mall, followed by the Essence Festival from the 9th - 11th October.

The Essence Festival is free to the public and will feature six runways, entertainment, art and SME markets.

The week culminates in the Awakening on October 12^th - a ticketed event that will feature the best fashion designers, creatives and artists from around the country.

The Awakening is scheduled for Saturday at the prestigious APEC Haus. Tickets to the Awakening are selling at Miss PNG at Vision City.

So far the team has travelled to Alotau in partnership with the Women Weavers of Milne Bay Festival where they have already selected a winning designer and model.

They have also travelled to partner with the Kokopo fashion community and will be returning in July to a select winning designer and model during the Mask Festival and excitedly this weekend, they will be in Enga Province.

Director of PNG Fashion Week Philma Kelegai says this will be PNG Fashion Week’s first time in Enga.

This will be its third season and the week is scheduled from 7^th to 12 October.

This year’s theme is “cultural renaissance” and it will explore how creative vision and the cultural infrastructure of Papua New Guinea come together in redefining, through the fashion landscape, the idea of Papua New Guinea. It is a platform that will expose and identify PNG culture and tradition through the lens of fashion. It is a rebirth of age old ideas that help shape the discovery of self and the construction of the future.

In its second year of partnership, the PNG Fashion Week brand will in an unprecedented move, now reach all four regions making it officially a national brand.

Adding to its Lae Fashion Week brand are shows in Alotau (Milne Bay), Kokopo (East New Britain) and Wabag (Enga).

Tru Warrior has created a movement in PNG that promotes healthy lifestyles and great attitudes and PNG Fashion Week, as a brand that promotes fashion, understands the importance of health and fitness and the role it plays in the fashion industry.

“As a fresh and innovative brand built and run by young Papua New Guineans and a brand that promotes health and fitness, which is essential not only to the fashion industry but also life in general, it made perfect sense to partner with Tru Warrior," said Philma Kelegai, managing director of PNG Fashion Week.

The PNG Fashion Week kicks off midday April 4th and will run through to April 7.

Over the four day period, a number of runways will be staged at various venues throughout Port Moresby.

Vision City megamall will be the centre of hype, playing host to the free runway shows: Street culture show, Vision City show, future show, resort show and pikinini show.

Haute Couture show and the Gold show are closed events, to be held at the Sanctuary Hotel and Sir John Guise indoor stadium respectively.

Each show presents a PNG taste in each fashion category.

The confirmation was made with the official announcement of dates for the PNG Fashion Week.

Like never before, this visual feast will be a week of various fashion events running from April 4 through to April 7.

It’s a national event, attracting designers from right around the country, and models; the youngest being 2 years old.

There will be 7 runways in three different locations – Vision City, Sir John Guise Indoor Stadium and Sanctuary Hotel.

The shows at Vision City are free and will be open to the public, running from April 5 – 7.

PNGFW announced this last week.

The top-tier beauty, hair and cosmetics company will come together with PNGFW under one roof from April 4th - 7th, for the fashion week, assisting Papua New Guinea’s most esteemed designers in creating their runway looks.

Overseeing the backstage glam will be lead make-up artist, Annemarie Aiva, who has extensive portfolios in the beauty and fashion industries.

But under a new team, the fashion week promises to be bigger than the initial year – 2016.

Set for the 4th - 7th April, 2018, the one week will see 8 new runway shows in 3 locations within Port Moresby.

PNGFW managing director, Philma Kelegai, said this platform is designed to see locals grow their talent.

PNG Fashion Week is the premier fashion event of Papua New Guinea.