Fashion Industry

The runway showcased home grown designs with a touch of the latest trend seen around the world.

From casual wear to evening wear, swim wear to active wear, all had one thing in common, designed by Papua New Guinean women entrepreneurs.

The Hatwok Meri Runway was organized by the US Academy for Women Entrepreneurs.

Warumou collection was one that caught the attention of the spectators.

 It displayed an elegance line-up of the must wear fashion for today’s trend.

She's recreated famous models' photo shoots from recent advertising campaigns by putting herself in the place of the white models which they feature.

She's called the project Black Mirror, saying: "I hope to show the world that it is time for all of us being seen."

Deddeh says the project "would help all of us believing in our potential".

This is seen as timely, to feed the growing fashion craze in the country.

But another problem lies, and for someone like Hazel Navaru who once fell in this shoes, there is a need for an institute to fully develop such creativity.

Navaru had to travel all the way to the Philippines to study at the Fashion Institute of Design and Art for two years. Another six months with some of the best designers in the world taught Navaru the real meaning of fashion.

“It just goes to say that there’s definitely an interest in this industry and everyone’s trying to create opportunities.

“Definitely, fashion is a billion dollar industry in the world wide and something that we should be tapping into in PNG.

“It provides so many jobs, whether it’s down to people who are making buttons out of coconut shells, there’s so much opportunity in this industry and that’s in modelling, photography, design, clothing, and providing jobs in shops for people who want to work with fashion also.”

She said with the runway: