London calling
PNG designers show their wares to the world
It’s a great time for Pacific fashion. Pacific-origin designers are killing it worldwide, from hometown fashion weeks to Australia’s Pacific Runway and, now, the prestigious London Pacific Fashion Week (LPFW). Held in the same week as London Fashion Week, LPFW attracts Pacific-origin designers and models and is an excellent chance for the designers to promote their brands and style. In the past few years, PNG designers have been impressing at LPFW, and winning awards and accolades from industry peers. LPFW 2019 features three of PNG’s finest designers and Paradise caught up with them before they jetted off for the September event.
Originally from the Collingwood Bay area, Oro Province, and now based in Hong Kong, Wilkins launched her label in November 2017.
“Fashion design had always been a hobby. I was able to turn my hobby in to a full-time business when the youngest of my sons left home for university. I had free time again,” she says.
“My ethnic roots are a big influence – ITATIE is inspired by my tribal culture and is for the woman who wants classic, simple elegance with traditional motifs. Fashion is expression of my identity, culture, values and faith.”
What made Wilkins decide to show at LPFW?
“I wanted to take the step into a bigger pond, out of the home region of the Pacific. LPFW was the place to go, a home away from home surrounded by other Pacific designers including others from PNG. I really want to enter the UK market and I feel that LPFW is an excellent platform and gateway.
“My LPFW19 collection is called ‘Redeem’. It’s a women’s evening-wear collection, white with tribal motifs, symbolising beauty from ashes. Ash is one of the elements used as dye on traditional
tapa (bark) cloth by the tribes of Collingwood Bay.”
How has the LPFW theme ‘Climate change in the Pacific’ inspired the collection?
“The motifs in my designs are inspired by bark from trees. One of the biggest contributors to climate change is de-forestation, it is the second-largest cause of global warming according to Earth Day Network.
“This hits home for me as the ethnic communities of Collingwood Bay and other parts of Papua New Guinea have lost large portions of their forests due to extensive logging.
“The red and clay colour of my motifs symbolise the Earth and black symbolises the condition of the Earth. White symbolises redemption. If every citizen of this planet did his or her part, we may help our Earth redeem its health.”