The name Maku Gifts or Lavagirl for most will instantly bring to mind the now popular Tabu designs meri blouse or kolos, and rightly so. Annette Sete’s entrepreneurial journey is one every Papua New Guinean can learn and draw inspiration from.
Annette saw a void in the fashion market for authentic Papua New Guinea designs, and through her passion for creative design, craftsmanship, along with her entrepreneurial ingenuity saw Lavagirl and Maku Gifts come to life.
What started in 2014 as a Tabu design on a meri blouse became one of the most sought after, fashionable items in PNG.
Ms Sete’s inspirations have created a fashionable trend and a vibrant market where PNG’s own traditional designs are being articulated through clothing and hand crafts of high demand for consumers.
Maku Gifts now employs over 36 Papua New Guineans with two shops in Port Moresby, one at the Gordons industrial area and another at the Vision City.
Annette Sete sat down with PNGBUZZ TV to talk about the operation:
