Papua New Guinean entrepreneur and Lufa Basket founder Judy Ejampi made her national runway debut at PNG Fashion Week 2026, bringing Indigenous craftsmanship and the work of more than 5,000 weavers, artisans and potters to one of the country’s leading fashion platforms.

PNG Fashion Week 2026 was held from 18-19 September at APEC Haus in Port Moresby, featuring designers and creative talent from Papua New Guinea, Australia, Fiji, Samoa and Indonesia.

Ejampi’s debut collection took place on Saturday’s signature main runway, Genesis, where her collection presented handwoven bilums, bilum shawls, handcrafted cane baskets and hand-loomed rugs as contemporary runway pieces.

Inspired by Papua New Guinea’s people, landscapes and cultural heritage, the collection was earthy, elegant, bold and distinctly Papua New Guinean.

“This opportunity is more than putting products on a runway,” Ejampi said. “It is about showing the world that Indigenous PNG craftsmanship belongs in spaces of fashion, design, creativity and luxury.”

Born and raised in Sunuvi Village in the Dunatina area of Henganofi, Eastern Highlands Province, Ejampi’s connection to craftsmanship began during childhood.

Her parents operated second-hand clothing shops across Papua New Guinea, while her late father, Ejampi Suave, introduced the family to carvings, cane furniture and traditional baskets.

One cane basket purchased by her father in 1994 and given to Ejampi in 2004 remained with her.

It was a lasting connection to the childhood experiences that helped shape her appreciation for handmade products and traditional artistry.

Ejampi founded Lufa Basket in June 2022 and opened the brand’s first shop at Brian Bell Plaza in Gordons, Port Moresby, on 4 May 2023.

Lufa Basket was a women-led Papua New Guinean social enterprise connecting more than 5, 000 Indigenous weavers, artisans and potters from the Eastern Highlands, Southern Highlands, East Sepik, Madang, Milne Bay and the National Capital District with local and international markets.

The brand worked to transform traditional skills and cultural knowledge into sustainable economic opportunities while ensuring PNG craftsmanship was valued, preserved and passed on to future generations.

“We don’t simply sell products,” Ejampi said. “We create opportunities, preserve culture and connect Indigenous craftsmanship with the world.”

Among the most personal pieces in Ejampi’s PNG Fashion Week collection were the bilum shawl and Tulito bilum.

Both designs took months of experimentation, trial, error and refinement to bring to life. Although this was Ejampi’s first runway, her journey was defined by enterprise, persistence, and an unwavering belief in her vision.

She resigned from her job to run Lufa Basket full-time, invested in her own finances and resources, strengthened relationships with weaving communities, and travelled overseas in search of greater market exposure.

“All the opportunities were created by me or sought out by me.”

Her selection for PNG Fashion Week represented a major evolution for Lufa Basket- from a traditional craft-focused social enterprise into a contemporary PNG craft, culture and luxury lifestyle brand.

When the collection’s final model left the runway, Ejampi wanted audiences to remember not only the beauty of the designs but also the Indigenous hands, stories and communities behind them.

“I want audiences to remember that PNG craftsmanship is powerful, valuable and worthy of the world stage.”

“I want them to see that our culture can be proudly preserved, creatively reimagined and transformed into opportunity.”

Ejampi’s long-term vision was to open three Lufa Basket stores in Australia and two additional stores in Papua New Guinea.

She also hoped to take the brand into Paris, Milan, London and New York, positioning bilums, cane craftsmanship and hand-loomed products within leading international fashion, design and luxury markets.

Ultimately, she wanted her PNG Fashion Week debut to open doors not only for Lufa Basket, but for the thousands of craftspeople connected to the enterprise and the next generation of Papua New Guinean designers.

“Ten years from now, I hope I can look back and say that PNG Fashion Week 2026 was a turning point.”

“I want be able to say: I took the opportunity, and it created opportunities for others.”