Since its establishment in 2016, PNG Fashion and Design Week Limited has been pioneering the growth of the Fashion Sector in Papua New Guinea and so far with the support of AusAID, have trained over 860 designers in the country who most are now known successful designers in the industry. It was also in 2016 that PNG Fashion and Design Week hosted its first ever runway show with a total of seven designers who all showcased on the very first runway including Annette Sete, Natasha Tamanabae and Anna Amos. This year, the stakes just got higher, as this year’s Runway Show will now showcase talents and creativity not only from PNG’s well known designers but also from the Creative Arts students of the University of Papua New Guinea. According to Founder and Director of PNG Fashion and Design Week, Mrs. Janet Sios, this is the first time that the fashion sector has collaborated with the students from Year one to Year four as one reason is to bring awareness of the culture and the creative sector to them. Mrs Sios told PNG HAUSBUNG that although creative learning is part of their course, students probably don’t know where they’ll end up in terms of a career, therefore this will show to them that money can be earned in this sector through modelling, designing, being a creative director, setting a stage, photography or even being a coordinator. Sios also made mention that one important reason is to bring out the talents these students have and showcase. “For this year’s runway show, we will have thirteen designers including nine designers who are students themselves that have signed up to take part and for our fashion models, over 70 models will be taking part with 30 of them who are students.” “For our designers, we have five established designers taking part including three international designers who we’ve also invited to come on board with one from Sydney who has been confirmed and two from Dubai and Sri Lanka who are yet to confirm.” With this year’s theme, ‘Fashion for Peace’, the designers have been challenged to take on the task in creating a piece that not only they portray at a certain level but also to dedicate a piece through PEACE in which they can talk about their creativity towards peace. “We want to drive the theme as we have so much of law-and-order issues and so we are hoping that we can receive as much support as we can including support from our leaders.” “We want to stop all forms of violence and this platform is dedicated for peace in Papua New Guinea.” In addition to this, with everyone geared up for the event, all volunteering and ushering will be done by the students themselves. Sios expressed that the students themselves are excited because all students taking part including student designers, models, photographer, coordinators, and ushers have been given a bit of money. Furthermore, with Sios part of the National Cultural Commission Board, has taken on the challenge to convert the culture and creativity into money making and doing something like this is one aspect of it in which they have been driving. Meanwhile, for last year’s 2022 Runway, a total of K50, 000 was raised and deposited at the Women’s Micro Bank and topped up with an additional K50, 000 from the support of National Gaming Control Board. “This money will go to support the designers if they want to grow their business where they can apply for a loan there.” “We already have two established designers who have done so and we hope for more to join.” “This is an initiative where we are opening more opportunities so we’re very excited.” “For this year’s raise, we are planning on a supporting a student at a University or either send a student overseas who can receive proper studies and training and who has an interest in Fashion. This we see will see contribute greatly to the industry if we support them.” The Fashion and Design Runway Show is set to take place on the on the 19th of August at the Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby.