PNG Fashion Week is committed to work with the government to identify sustainable ideas to help the fashion, textile and garment industry to thrive in PNG.
Director Janet Sios said this is for the benefit of the designers and furthermore impact PNG’s Small to Medium Enterprise sector.
Sios said at the moment, they are in talks with the government and also trying to get other influential parties on board.
Sios stressed the importance of their relationship with the Department of Trade and Industry.
“Trade and Industry is our partner, we need to work together to help this industry and also almost non-existent. You’ve got some Chinese sewing somewhere or a few locals doing it somewhere but we need to seriously look at it, going forward with the governments help,” the Director said.
Her other concern was that Caritas Technical Secondary School is the only technical school that provides a garment and textile course in PNG.
More importantly, the school has even noted a decline in intakes for this particular course, which Janet says is because the young people in PNG don’t see a future in fashion and design.
PNGFW has invited the technical school to participate during the three-day workshop which will be held at Holiday Inn prior to the runway.
PNGFW hopes that the school’s participation in this fashion event may in some way boost their intakes.
She addedthat creative arts in fashion design should be offered at senior high schools or at some education level, to help the young ones develop this passion.
Sios said this is not a challenge but an opportunity for collaboration.
“Having now brought this platform into limelight and mainstream media, we hope to bring it together.”