APEKSI with the Palu City, attended and spoke at the inspiring mini-talk show by Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN) Indonesia Fashion Week 2026 on August 1, 2026, at the Creative Stage, Assembly Hall, Jakarta Convention Center (JCC). This strategic collaboration captured the attention of fashion enthusiasts and national creative industry players who packed the exhibition area.
APEKSI Executive Director Alwis Rustam emphasized that fashion is not just a lifestyle or a way of dressing, but rather a city branding and cultural diplomacy strategy that reflects the identity of Indonesian cities. Through a variety of local textiles, fashion showcases a city’s unique physical appearance and reputation (citra), its historical and cultural heritage (cerita), and the competitiveness of the regional creative economy (cita). Therefore, Indonesian cities are encouraged to become laboratories of creativity, competing not only to attract investors but also to manage and develop creative talent through the Train, Gain, Return, and Linkage scheme. Ultimately, a city’s greatest legacy is not the development of physical infrastructure, but rather the presence of a creative generation capable of strengthening national identity and serving as a source of future Regional Original Income (PAD).
Diah Puspita, Chair of the Palu City Dekranasda (Regional Craft Council) delivered a presentation titled “Weaving an Identity, Weaving the Future: The Transformation Story of Palu’s Moringa Leaf Crafts,” detailing the long journey of utilizing moringa leaves to create textile products with high aesthetic and economic value. Through this forum, Palu City demonstrated its commitment to encouraging the downstreaming of local craft products to enable them to compete in the global fashion market.