Sios: Local designs trending

Business

SHOPPING for locally designed clothing has become an increasingly common trend in recent years in Papua New Guinea, an entrepreneur says.
PNG Fashion and Design Week (PFDW) founder Janet Sios said Papua New Guinea’s budding fashion and design sector continued to grow with the emergence of more local designer brands from around the country.
“PFDW is the nation’s largest and most successful fashion design platform; it continues to support the endeavours of PNG fashion designers through its annual calendar, covering up-skilling, capacity building programmes and event marketing initiatives,” she said.
“A mini runway was staged last Wednesday coinciding with the premier of a short documentary film at the Paradise Cinema in Port Moresby, which was a success for all who participated.
“Designers have reported the sale of garments on the night and numerous orders and client enquiries not only in-country, but from customers abroad as well.”
Sios said the runway had served its purpose in event marketing to ensure business opportunities for designers through brand awareness, access and reach to markets, increased sales and positioning, networking and significant face-to-face relationships.
“We also note the achievements of young men and women engaged as models and production crew, who have all been trained and mentored on the platform for personal development and given the opportunity to earn some form of income,” she said.
She said this year’s show included pioneer event management and creative production personnel and models who had been with the platform since its first runway, some of whom had represented the country on international platforms and taken on leadership roles in recent years.