Ben Powell, co-founder of Creative Pacific Foundation has been preparing for its annual Creative Pacific Week. This year’s three-day celebration is happening in the greater Salt Lake City area in Utah. Powell is a celebrated artist and co-founded the foundation with his late friend, acclaimed fashion designer Afa Ah Loo.
Creative Pacific Week brings together artists and creatives from across the world, giving them the opportunity to learn from industry experts and experience what is probably the only fashion show in the U.S. produced entirely by Pacific Islanders.
“The reason we established Creative Pacific wasn’t just to showcase fashion or hair and makeup. Our purpose was really to serve our community… We want people to see the vibrancy of what our work is going to do for our Pacific Islander community.”
Powell compares the events of Creative Pacific Week to that of a road map, a full experience from start to finish that gives artistic hopefuls the tools to follow their dreams, “It’s exactly the timeline of what we’re doing as creators and it’s kind of the map Afa and I wish we had when we were first starting out in the industry.”
When first co-founding Creative Pacific, the artist says he and Ah Loo didn’t dream of creating an impact of this scale, but it is what kept them going. “We loved seeing the excitement on people’s faces coming to our events. We had no idea that it was going to evolve like this, and we’re very grateful.”
Creative Pacific Week is something the foundation puts on annually. This year, it begins on July 31st with workshops and panels involving experts in their fields.
‘Moana 2’ co-director Dave Derrick Jr, celebrated choreographer and cultural consultant Tiana Liufau, FIFA icon and cultural ambassador Jaiyah Saelua are just some of the featured panelists set to take part in the hands-on workshops offered this year.
On August 1st, the foundation’s signature event takes place, the fashion show. It’s being held at the Natural History Museum of Utah for the first time in its history. The fashion show brings together the talents of both co-founders, Powell’s expertise in hair and makeup, and Ah Loo’s in fashion design.
Tragically, Ah Loo was killed in a shooting during a “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake in late June. The news of his passing sent shockwaves through Pasifika communities around the world, and devastated Powell.
His death came just weeks before the start of Creative Pacific Week 2025, and his longtime friend and collaborator was left to pick up the pieces. But even after his passing, Ah Loo’s artistic vision still guides the foundation and pushes Powell forward.
One of Ah Loo’s final contributions was helping find a home for this year’s event. While Powell admits it wasn’t their first choice, the space spoke to the both of them. The pair had been having trouble securing a spot within the foundation’s budget. The search quickly became exhausting for them, as they both had full-time jobs and limited time to scout for the perfect location. After a few strike outs, they found their homerun in the unconventional.
“I asked Afa if he had ever been inside the Natural History Museum and he hadn’t. I suggested we just go inside to look around,” he said while fighting back tears. “We both went in there, and walked through the museum. We’re both able to sense when a place just feels right and after leaving the museum, we looked at each other and knew that this was going to be our spot.”
The museum offered the creatives a connection to their diasporic home. “It’s raw. It’s in the mountains, and it felt so representative of our home away from home: Utah,” Powell said. “We just wanted to find a special place. A place that would make people say, ‘Wow, that was worth coming to.’”
To honor the life and legacy of his late friend, Powell says a portion of the fashion show will be dedicated to him.
“We discovered sketches in the studio that Afa had been working on and found 10 designers that were able to bring them to life.The tribute will be those sketches being shown on the runway,” he explained.
Ah Loo’s wife, Laura and their children will serve as the models. Some of the featured designers include Kuiviti, Teine Teu Teu, Kahu Kreations and more. Powell says he looks forward to seeing Ah Loo’s designs actualized on stage.
“Several of them worked with him in the past, so it’ll be great to see their interpretation of his cultural identity, his flair for fashion, his couture, his style and choice within fabric.”
The final event of Creative Pacific Week 2025 is the Market Day, happening on August 2nd at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center.
It’s an all-day event where local Pasifika artisans and vendors have the opportunity to sell their designs from the fashion show, and make a profit. It celebrates and encourages entrepreneurship among a diverse group of local businesses. The market also has food and live performances.
Powell says it’ll be hard to move forward without his creative partner, “I keep the foundation alive because I know he would be right by my side as I would be by his.
Creative Pacific Week 2025 is set to go on as planned, a decision Powell said he made after remembering a past conversation he had with Ah Loo.
“I remember we were sitting in the studio, and I asked him,’Afa, if anything ever happened, would you continue to do the things that we’re doing?’ He told me yes and I said I would do the same. We were like brothers.” He tells PMN+.
As for what’s next for his foundation, Powell isn’t sure, but he does know he won’t stop working, “I’ll continue to work because if I fold and stop now, it’s not representative of what we truly were about. Afa is constantly on my mind in everything I do.”
For more information about Creative Pacific Week 2025, head to CreativePacific.org.
Photos Supplied by Creative Pacific Foundation.
