PAPUA NEW GUINEA is taking its creative industry to the global market as PNG Fashion Week’s Paradise Runway sold out the Queensland Multicultural Centre in Brisbane, Australia.
The event is part of a plan to expand PNG fashion beyond national borders, helping local designers and creatives access international buyers, media, and new markets in Australia and overseas.
The show featured PNG designers, Delilah Goni (Delco Arts), Linda Philau Pius, Atosh Iyaro, David Rei Kila-Pat, Stick In It, and Ofea Arts.
They were joined by international designers Yulia Hadi (Indonesia), Mojah (Polynesia), Mareva Bower (Samoa), and Cheryl Creed (First Nations, Australia). Models from across PNG and the Pacific walked the runway, presenting modern designs rooted in cultural tradition.
PNG Fashion Week has spent nearly a decade building pathways to connect PNG talent directly with Australia’s creative economy.
Founder and Managing Director, Philma Kelegai said the show’s success proves PNG can compete internationally.
“If they will not give you a seat at the table, you must create your own table,” Kelegai said.
“That has always been our philosophy. Rather than waiting for opportunities to appear, PNG Fashion Week has built them ourselves. We have created international runways, international audiences, international media exposure and genuine commercial opportunities for Papua New Guinean creatives.”
She encouraged local talents to use these global platforms to grow their businesses.
“Our message to every designer, every model, every creative and every young person across Papua New Guinea is simple: these pathways are here for you. We have opened the doors. Walk through them,” she said.
“Our international platforms give you direct access to global audiences, international media, buyers, collaborators and one of the world’s strongest creative economies. We are inviting Papua New Guinea to stand proudly on the international stage because we know our stories deserve to be seen.”
Kelegai said PNG’s rich culture gives it a strong edge in the international market.
“The audience didn’t simply come to watch fashion. They came to experience culture. They came to understand who we are. That is the power of Indigenous storytelling. Fashion became our language,” she said.
With the success of the Brisbane event, PNG Fashion Week plans to expand its international schedule to connect more PNG talent with global opportunities.
